The Mark of Sage
by Crystal Manning
Summary: Sage Moreaux has always seen the world through rose-colored glasses. When the effects of the particle accelerator explosion has a wider reach than suspected, she finds herself skating on thin ice to regain control of her life. She's always wanted to make her mark on the world; she just didn't know the price she'd have to pay to do so. [Some canon divergence]
1. Prologue

_**The Mark of Sage**_

_By: Crystal Manning_

_**Full summary: **_Sage Moreaux has always seen the world through rose-colored glasses, choosing to enjoy life rather than fear it nor to let her tense childhood damper her future. Moving in with her uncle and cousin was supposed to be the break she needed from her puppet strings, not a means to replace one master with another. She was just beginning to enjoy Central City and what it has to offer when the accident occurred and changed everything. When the effects of the particle accelerator explosion has a wider reach than suspected, she finds herself skating on thin ice to regain control of her life. And it doesn't help that she has a psycho with a freeze ray and a strange obsession on her tail. She's always wanted to make her mark on the world; she just didn't know the price she'd have to pay to do so.

_**Rating:**_ T for language and violence

_**Pairings: **_Oliver/OC, some Snart/OC, some Barry/OC, WestThawne, SnowStorm

_**Warnings:**_ OC heavy, semi-graphic violence, language  
_**  
Notes:**_ Follows the show with some deviations from canon. No major plot-line changes. Takes place in season 1.

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_**Prologue**_

So, I'm sure by now you all know about the particle accelerator explosion and how it created The Flash (or so he will be named later) and all those evil metahumans and all that jazz, right? Good, remember that stuff but not too hard because this isn't about The Flash. Well, it _is_ but not as The Flash as you know him. But as I know him. I know him as Barry Allen. Well, _Bartholomew_ if I want to get under his skin which works out in my favor when I want something. He's always hated that name. Wait, who am I? Does the name Iris West ring a bell? It does? Good. I'm not her, though. I'm her cousin, Sage Moreaux. Nice to meet you! No, not that one with the movie-star looks and the designer clothes. _That_ one. The one clutching the coffee mug like her life depended on it.

Don't blame me, it kinda does. See, without a constant heat source my heart rate could slow down until I just drop dead on the sidewalk. Why? Well, it's because I have a lower body temperature than the rest of the world. Blame it on the particle accelerator explosion, it kinda messed things up for me. Have I piqued your interest? I have? Good. Well, sit back and relax because have _I_ got a story for you. It has your fair share of bad guys and super powers and betrayals and secrets and scandals and all that good stuff. This may be a story to _you_…but this is my life.

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a/n - So, what did you think so far? Please leave a review! I'm super excited to write this story after watching The Flash on the CW. It's my new favorite show! Grant Gustin is the perfect Barry.


	2. Nine Months Before

**_Chapter 1_**

**_Nine Months Before_**

Everyone remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when an event occurs that changed their life. They're usually bad events that people remember in the most vivid manner. They remember what they were wearing, what was on TV, what was on the radio, what they could smell, what they were doing, what _time_ it was. Everything down to the very last detail. Sage Moreaux wasn't an exception to this.

The day started off normally, of course that's how all days start no matter how the rest of the day was to shape up. The sky was a shade of blue so bright that, coupled with the sun, it made Sage's eyes hurt when she peered out the window. She recoiled, blinking rapidly to try and adjust to the onslaught of bright light. Once they adjusted she noticed that the sky was cloudless. It was a nice, beautiful day. A smile curled upon her lips. It was a bike day for sure.

"Sage, are you up?" Iris West's voice was muffled through the other side of the wooden door. "I have to run to work but I made some breakfast for you."

Crossing the room, Sage wrenched open the door and peered up at her cousin. "You didn't 'make' eggs again, did you?" she asked, making a face. "Because the last time you did that you made them blow up. …And I'm still not sure how you managed that one."

Iris rolled her eyes; the action contradicted the smile on her face. "You're in the clear. Its oatmeal and toast and juice. I would have done more but I'm going to be late."

"And I'm glad you didn't," Sage said, "you know I hate it when you and Uncle Joe lavish on me. I've been here for a while now. I pay rent—"

"Which we keep telling you we don't want," Iris interrupted, "You're _family_!"

"—and I intend to live like a proper college student like everyone else," Sage continued, waving away her words. She paused and then added with a cheeky grin, "Only with better housing."

Iris laughed. "But other than that you're a totally normal junior at CCU," she agreed.

"Exactly." Sage nodded. "Hey, have you heard from Barry yet? Wasn't he supposed to come back from that trip last night?"

"Yeah, he got back late. Enjoyed his time from what I heard. He's taking us to see that atom smasher…thing tonight," Iris replied. "We're supposed to meet up at his office around seven."

"As fun as standing around and watching something turn on _doesn't_ sound," Sage said with a teasing tone attached to her words, "I can't go anyway. I have homework and stuff. So tell _Barfolomew_ I said hi and I'll catch up with him tomorrow. We can hang out and see a movie or something."

"I'm holding you to that," Iris replied. "So how's the IT thing going?"

Sage shrugged. "It's just a work study position so it's not like it's _horrible_. My extent of computer knowledge goes as far as restarting the computer to fix a problem, making it go back to an old restore point, and running a virus scan. That's as much as they trust me with, anyway. But afterwards some of us were going to study together so tell Uncle Joe I may not get back until about nine or ten. Eleven at the latest."

"I'll have a caramel coffee waiting for you if you stop by Jitters."

Sage beamed. "See, this is why you're my favorite cousin."

Iris bid her cousin goodbye and walked down the hall, disappearing around the corner. Sage closed the door to her room and went over to her closet to pick out clothes for the day. As she scanned the bright and dark colored clothes hanging on the hangers, her mind turned over to Bartholomew Allen, or Barry as he preferred to be called.

She had known Barry since she was young but only saw him a few times out of the year when she came to Central City to visit her cousin and uncle. Her visits were sporadic but much anticipated all the same. It was a welcomed change: the West family actually smiled and had fun; back at her house, if she laughed too loud, she was swiftly punished for it. And not everyone's uncle let them ride around in their cop car and mess with handcuffs and teach them some self defense despite their mom forbidding it. Heck, she had a better idea of the law due to her visits to the police department where she and Iris would play Cops and Robbers while Barry sat and sulked.

Granted, she understood his reasoning. It wasn't every day that someone's mother was murdered and their father was taken into custody and put under a life sentence due to being the suspected murderer. She wasn't even sure how Barry came out as level-headed as he was at twenty-five-years-old but it _was_ better than the sulking version of him that plagued her earlier visits. He wasn't fun so she tried to get him to lighten up as much as she could, mainly by teasing him and calling him names – "Barfolomew" being her favorite – but she tried to get him talking about his interests too. Boring science stuff but she tried. After all, he didn't have his own family to talk with anymore.

She always thought he would outgrow his science obsession but that quickly morphed into an odd fascination with forensics. Odd to her, a sort of coping mechanism for him. At least that's what Uncle Joe used to tell her. Whenever she sneered at how "weird" he was being, he simply stated that it most likely had to do with the death of his mother. She didn't get it then, being only seven at the time of his mother's death, but now that she was older Barry Allen finally made sense to her.

Until he started talking, that is.

Sage yanked a jean jacket off of its hanger and looked it over. She glanced out the window, nodded, and then grabbed a t-shirt and jeans and ran for the bathroom. She took a quick shower – nearly killing herself from slipping on the wet floor – and rushed down the stairs for breakfast. She ate a few bites of the oatmeal, glad that Iris went with instant that time, took a few bites of toast, downed her juice, grabbed her helmet off of the coat rack by the door and rushed down the stairs.

She smiled at the sight of her motorcycle sitting in the driveway, waiting to be taken out for a ride. Of course her mother didn't want her to have it but she was over 600 miles away and her father owned a motorcycle dealership for crying out loud! Of _course _she wouldn't be stuck with a normal car when she grew up around the motorized bikes that made her eyes widen since she could comprehend what they were and what they could do.

She swung her leg over the seat and settled down until her feet touched the ground. She checked to make sure she was in neutral and everything was where it needed to be so as not to take off or mess up the engine. Once she was balanced and holding the brake down, she stuck and twisted the key in the ignition, and pushed the engine switch, smiling at the machine roaring to life. She pulled the helmet down over her head, making sure it was snug, double checked that her gloves were on properly and her boots were tied. She pulled the clutch in, shifted to first gear, kicked up the kickstand, let the clutch out, and started forward. She twisted the throttle a little bit to give it gas, lifted her feet, and turned out of the driveway and onto the road.

There was nothing more freeing than being out on the open road.

_**# # #**_

"Hey, can I buy you a drink?"

Sage nearly flinched at the loud voice in her ear. She leaned away from the mouth hovering by her face and turned to see a guy smiling at her. Her eyes scanned him, from his gel-encrusted hair to his button down shirt to his jeans. He wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for that obnoxious tattoo on his neck.

"Already got one," she replied, holding up the bottle clenched tightly in her hand. "Thanks."

"Well, let me get you another one. What do you like?"

Sage waved him away, keeping the smile on her face. If it was one thing she learned it was to do her best not to anger him too much. "I'm fine with this one," she replied, crossing one leg over the other. She pulled down the hem of her dress and mentally cursed when she noticed his eyes following her movement. Maybe Iris was right, it _was_ too short.

"Come on, baby. I just want to buy you a drink, that's all." He started to take her hand but she snatched it back. "What's the matter?"

"I don't want another one," she replied, raising her voice to be heard over the thumping music in the club. "I'm fine, _really_."

The boy's features twisted into a scowl and he shook his head. "I'm just trying to be nice here. Why you gotta treat a guy like that?"

"I just told you I don't want another drink," Sage insisted, reaching her free hand back for her purse. She wanted her mase in hand just in case. "I said no. You can go now."

"Listen, bitch—" The boy started forward but stopped when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Sage looked past him, her eyebrows lifting at the older man.

"Hey, the lady said 'no'," the man said, his fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. "I suggest you go and get yourself out of here before you're forced out." He gave the boy a hard push and then turned his eyes over to Sage, whose lips began to curl up into a smile. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she replied, drumming her fingers against her glass.

"Let me apologize on behalf of my gender. I'd offer you a drink but…" he turned to gesture over his shoulder, "I think he exhausted that plan. So, how about a dance instead?" He tilted his head toward the dance floor while extending his arm.

Sage ducked her head, her smile widening before she looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "You know…you don't have to play that sort of game with me," she pointed out. At his confused expression she continued. "Having your buddy come in to make a situation bad just for you to swoop in and 'save' me. I don't need saving." She set her drink down and uncrossed her legs. "But. I _do_ need a dance. Lucky for you, it's something I enjoy." She lightly placed her hand in his palm and led him out to the dance floor, pulling their bodies close as they caught the heavy bass beats of the song.

Sage could still feel his hands on her hips as she walked down the empty street later that night, still feel his lips on her neck, feel his heart beating against his chest. It was a fun night, she had a good time. She only hoped that Iris had gotten her message and came up with a cover for her just in case Joe asked why she was getting back too late from "studying". Surely she and Barry would get home sooner than she would after that thing turned on. Then all she had to do was be sure that Iris was in her room to give her enough time to come back in through the window. Easy.

A harsh cold whipped around her and she shivered, hunching her shoulders. The long sleeves of her dress blocked the cold air but her short hemline did little to save her legs from it. She knew she should have grabbed a jacket on her way home, Central City got frigid this time of year, but she was in a rush and forgot. Plus, she half expected one of the random club guys to walk her home but that didn't exactly work out. Maybe she could ask Iris to come pick her up instead.

She pulled out her phone and began to send another text to her cousin, but then she stopped herself. Iris and Barry were thick as thieves, for all she knew she could be interrupting some special bonding moment they were having. Or a date of some sort. That would be horrible, making them interrupt a date just to bring her a jacket because she was too distracted to get one herself. But then she laughed. Who was she kidding? Barry may have had the biggest crush on Iris but that didn't mean that now, after all this time, he'd do anything about it. And at a science event? Talk about the wrong venue. Switching the contacts to pull up the number for Central City's taxi company—if it was one thing her father instilled in her it was never to drink and drive, she'd at least listen to him about that—her attention was torn away by something…weird.

A bright flash of light lit up the sky, contrasting against the twinkling holiday lights that decorated the surrounding stores. It was then followed by a beam of light shooting straight up, like a portal being opened in _The Avengers_. Her body froze. She gaped at the unbelievable sight as another gust of wind brought goosebumps to her skin. An orb – a shockwave – pushed past her and made her stomach clench. She had to take a step back to keep her balance.

The hair on her arms stood up. She looked up and saw a flash. She felt heat on the left side of her body and it was followed by an even louder bang than the one before. It sent her flying off her feet. She landed hard on her back, feeling air escape past her teeth. She rolled onto her side, struggling to get air back into her lungs but they burned. More wind brushed over her crumpled body. She began to shiver. Her body hurt. She lay crumpled near a pile of dirty, forgotten snow; the remains of the city's last snow storm. The water seeped through the side of her dress, clinging to her skin. Burning down her side as she fought for air. Darkness seeped into her vision. The explosion echoed around in her head.

She was so weak. So tired…

Everyone remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when an event occurs that changed their life. Sage was wearing her favorite clubbing outfit, she wasn't anywhere near a TV, she lay on the empty streets, her body rife with goosebumps, and it was just half past ten when the particle accelerator exploded.

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_**A/N**_ \- And here's the first chapter! Thanks to all those who have reviewed, fav'd, and alerted this story so far! I hope you enjoy this chapter. What do you think of Sage so far? Anyone else super excited for the FlArrow crossover next week? Please leave a review! Thanks for reading!

P.S. Also, to get an idea of what Sage looks like, picture Tinashe Kachingwe. Also, thanks Guest for pointing out my potential minor error!


	3. Nine Months After

**_Chapter 2_**

**_Nine Months After_**

Sage hated hospitals. After being in and out of them as a child, she couldn't stand the smell, the sights, and the sounds. And yet, after the particle accelerator exploded she found herself stuck back in the same place that only showed up in her nightmares. She only remembered flashes of that night: someone performing CPR on her while red and white lights flashed above her head, rolling down a brightly lit hallway with people in white coats yelling at her that she would be alright, Iris and Uncle Joe looming over her, tears staining their cheeks. It was almost as if she had dreamt the event.

But the medical charts were a little too real to be a dream. You know how they use big words when it comes to telling you your diagnosis? Sage hated it when the doctors did that. When she woke up and was conscious long enough to get the full story on what happened they danced around the subject until she finally couldn't take it anymore.

"What's wrong with me?" Sage had asked. Her voice was raspy from lack of use. She would have laughed due to sounding like an old lady but she was too confused. She sucked in a breath which was followed by a few quick and hard coughs.

"Well, due to you being exposed to unfavorably cold temperatures for an extended period of time it seems that you body has gone into a moderate hypothermic state. Your body temperature has dropped to a concerning low and your blood vessels have gone into vasoconstriction in an attempt to retain your body heat. Your shivering should subside as we get you warm. We believe that you may also be suffering from Bradycardia but we will perform some tests to be sure. We have no cause to believe that you have suffered from frostbite." The doctor smiled and placed a latex covered hand atop of her head. Something about the gesture warmed her up, though not in the way that she wished the scratchy blanket that was tucked around her would. "Don't worry. You will be up on your feet soon."

"Soon" had to be a relative saying for the doctors because it took a little over two weeks for her to finally be released from the hospital. It didn't take long to get her warmed up – they kept her covered in blankets and made her lie in bed with a heating pad and every now and then feed some weird looking stuff through an IV in the back fo her hand– but that wasn't the cause of concern to keep her there longer than they anticipated. It was the fact that her body temperature would drop right back down a few hours later and her heart rate was still at a low level as expected in a senior citizen and not an otherwise healthy twenty-year-old.

But even then that still wasn't what made her hate hospitals. It was receiving the news that Barry was there too, that Barry had gotten struck by lightning and they didn't know anything about his condition and that they wouldn't let her visit him as soon as she heard the news. Surely wasn't a good idea to keep a panicking, worried, concerned patient essentially locked up.

But when she was finally freed she was hesitant. How would he look? Would he be charred? Would he look different? Act different? Be different? And what if he didn't wake up? What if he never woke up? No, she couldn't bear that. Couldn't go and face him so the waiting room became her regular haunt. They finally got her out of bed and yet, there she was, curled up in the waiting room. And that was when Iris and Joe convinced her to come. Otherwise she was back at the West house, catching up on her homework, answering the phone whenever he called. Nothing new went on with him for the most aprt; he usually laid there as if he was just…peacefully sleeping. As if whatever dream he was having was much better than coming back to reality to be with them. After all, who was Sage without her Barfolomew to tease and make fun of and then turn around and beg for his help to translate her bio homework?

Time went on the longer Barry stayed under and she had to move on with her life. It was hard, of course, pretending that everything was okay when it really wasn't. But her grades were slipping and she needed to keep them up if she was going to keep her work-study position and she _needed_ that position or else her mother would get her on the next plane back to Montreal and she couldn't have that. _Wouldn't _have that. She'd rather die than go back home.

It was like watching years flash before her eyes in those nine months. Uncle Joe's old partner was replaced with "Pretty Boy" aka Eddie Thawne. Rookie cop at the time, she met him a few times at the prescient whenever she stopped by to give Joe some lunch. She found him aesthetically pleasing, much like Iris did, but that was as far as that went. He was a bit _too_ pretty for her and besides, he was a temporary distraction to an ongoing problem. And maybe he was what Iris needed but it didn't make Sage feel any better. Iris was always the lucky one.

Her busy days were filled with intruding, horrible thoughts about Barry. What if he didn't wake up? What if he was permanently stuck in his coma? What if he came out different? What if he wasn't _Barry_ anymore? What if he wasn't the same science-loving, forensic researching, constantly-running-late, insufferably dorky Barry? Maybe if she had gone with them then none of that would have happened…

Sage shook her head and ran her hand through her hair, trying to dislodge those thoughts. She frowned when her fingers snagged on her hair. Huffing, she reached her other hand up and detangled her hair right as Iris approached with her coffee in a to-go cup. Her mouth watered at the caramel scent that wafted through the opening.

"You're going to take your hair out if you don't take off those gloves," Iris commented, crossing her arms.

"They're for protection, silly," Sage replied, flexing her fingers in the tight leather gloves.

"Yeah, when you're on your motorcycle. You're not riding one now," Iris pointed out.

Sage's eyes shifted around Jitters until they rested on her coffee. "Yeah, but my hands are in the vicinity of coffee. Scalding hot flavored water. If I just so happened to knock this over onto my delicate hands I could end up with second degree burns. And you wouldn't want that for your favorite cousin, right?"

Iris scoffed. "Maybe cutting down on the coffee would help with that. Isn't this your third cup this morning?"

"You're talking to me like I'm some sort of alcoholic," Sage said, her words a low grumble. "And! If I ever murdered someone or needed to break in somewhere, I would never get caught because _bam! _No finger prints!" She wiggled her fingers in the air.

"And if there is a string of thefts and murders without fingerprints I know who to stick my boyfriend on," Iris pointed out. Sage muttered something about having connections which made Iris laugh. "At any rate, I'm surprised you manage to sleep with how wired you must be. Your light is on past two. I hear you scrambling around in the kitchen like a rat at four."

"Hey, I take offense to that!"

"Well, I mean, you _do_ like your sweets—"

"I meant the 'rat' part," Sage interrupted her. She reached forward and picked up her to-go cup and took a sip of her coffee. "I take offense to _that_. Rats are disgusting and I, for one, am not disgusting."

"Have you _seen_ yourself devour cake?" Sage tried to hold her frustrated pout but Iris's laugh made her mask break and she started laughing as well. "D'you work today?" Iris continued.

"Yeah, just some IT stuff after school and then I'm done for the day," Sage replied. Iris didn't miss the bored tone latched to her cousin's words and lifted her eyebrows. "Some of the people who bring their stuff in really don't need my help. It's annoying! I actually had to take time to teach a professor to _insert_ a _page break_."

"And…that's not part of your job?" Iris asked.

"Well, I was troubleshooting why their computer was running slow – it was connection issues rather than their computer – and they asked me about a book they were writing and the formatting. Long story short, I'm now giving her a crash course on Microsoft Word shortcuts." Sage clicked her tongue and said in an unenthusiastic manner, "Yay me."

"Not everyone grew up in our internet generation," Iris pointed out. "Anyway, I have to get back to work. Have a good day and we can have dinner later."

"Alright. Call me if you hear any news about Barry," Sage replied. It made both girls take pause. They didn't expect to hear anything anytime soon. There was no change in the past eight months and some days, what would be different about today? "See ya."

"See ya."

Sage picked up her coffee, waved to her cousin and Tracy, the other barista, and moved past an incoming customer to leave. Once outside, she tightened her grip on her drink, feeling a tremble start to course through her body. This one didn't last long and, thankfully, she didn't spill anything this time. She took another sip of her coffee only to make a face at the small burn on the tip of her tongue. How had she missed that before? Glancing around she then removed the lid from her cup and then used her teeth to pull off one glove. She briefly dipped her index finger into the coffee and then removed it. She licked away the whipped cream on top and then took a sip. The temperature was perfect. Now if only she could stop shivering.

_**# # #**_

"Wait! So you can copy and paste without having to highlight and click?" Professor Adams asked, his eyes wide behind his coke bottle glasses. His eyes appeared two times larger as they widened in awe.

"Yes. There are a lot of shortcuts in Microsoft word and internet browsers to make your work that much simpler," Sage replied. Her voice was tight but despite that she kept a smile on her face as she hovered over Professor Adams' shoulder. He was old, after all, he didn't know any better. "For example, if you make a mistake and want to undo what you just did, hold the control button and then push Z and it will take it all back."

As soon as those words left her mouth she knew she would live to regret it. Professor Adams sat in his chair for the next five minutes typing random sentences only to remove them using the shortcut. Sage huffed and glanced at the clock on the wall. At this rate she wouldn't be able to leave for the next two hours. Especially with Professor Adams's hunt and peck technique. They hadn't even breeched the subject on what was really wrong with his computer. Which didn't seem like it was going to be that hard to fix. Which was the problem. All of it could have been taken care of over the phone.

"Sir, if we could get back to your source code problem—"

"This is magnificent!" Professor Adams gushed, ignoring Sage's efforts to get her work done. "Who knew so many things could be done just with a few taps on the keyboard! You learn something new every day." He laughed and looked up at Sage. "I guess it _is_ possible to teach and old dog some new tricks."

"Hey, even an old dog has a certain zest for life, right?" Sage asked, shrugging her shoulders. She exhaled and shoved her hands into her pockets as best as she could. Her gloves sometimes got caught on the way into her pockets.

A nearby door swung open. A few students, classmates of Sage's, walked out of the room, talking and laughing over something. Sage locked eyes with one of the girls whose smile froze on her face. Then her eyes jumped back to her friends to form the trio who followed her gaze back to Sage. Sage was the one to look away. It was easier to deal with their comments when she didn't have to look at them.

"That's her. She's so weird. Always wearing those gloves."

"Are her hands disfigured or something?"

"Yuck. I'd wear gloves too if that was that case."

"I asked her about it once. She said it was to protect her manicure. Can you believe that?"

"Ugh, how self-centered."

"I _know."_

Her fingers curled in her gloves, making them emit a light creaking sound. She pressed her lips together and exhaled through her nose. Anything to calm down. Though the anger swelling through her did help her heart a little bit; its beating pace quicked and felt as if it had returned to somewhat normal. Whatever that was. It's been nine months and she didn't remember what her heartbeat – a normal heartbeat – was supposed to feel like.

They didn't understand what it was like. Sage exhaled again, turning back to look over Professor Adams' shoulder. He sat up straight in his chair and looked around. His large, wrinkled hand rubbed the back of his neck.

"Is there a draft in here?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed together. "I just got quite a chill."

Sage breathed out again. A cloud came out of her mouth, as if she were standing in a freezer or out in the cold. Her eyes widened and her chest heaved. More visible puffs of air came out of her mouth. _No, not now. Not here._

"Professor Adams, I have to go," Sage muttered, hastily grabbing her papers and books and shoved them into her bag. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help with your computer today but I'll get to it tomorrow, I promise. I just…something came up."

Her scrambling became more frantic as the seconds wore on. She tried to clench her fingers but they moved much slower than they did before. The tips of her fingers tingled, as if circulation was beginning to get cut off. She didn't have much time left.

"Oh, not to worry Ms. Moreaux," Professor Adams said as he stood. He smoothed his tie down with his hands over his rotund stomach. "We can do this another time. You have already taught me something new, you have done your part."

"Yeah, great, thanks," Sage muttered, grabbing her helmet off the nearby table. She stumbled a little over the wires of the computers lined up in the open-area computer lab at the top of the science building they occupied. She managed to regain her balance by running forward and slung her bag over her shoulder. "See you tomorrow."

"Ah, god speed Ms. Moreaux."

"Yeah yeah. Live long and perspire," Sage threw over her shoulder. The words barely fell out of her mouth before she was taking off down the spiral staircase in the middle of the room. She nearly fell down the last few of the stairs due to tripping on the loose laces of her boots in her haste but she managed to get out the front door to the building.

She ran around the side of the building, glancing over her shoulder to see if she had been followed or anyone was looking in her direction. The sidewalks surrounding the building were crowded with people bustling about. Gritting her teeth, feeling her temples pound, Sage ran until she made it to an emptied alleyway.

All of Uncle Joe's warnings sounded off like alarm bells in her head but there was one louder noise – a warning siren – that eclipsed the alarm bells. Throwing her helmet aside, Sage bit the tops of her gloves to pull them off. It was much faster than if she had used her hands. Besides, she was sure that she could take on anyone who would try and cross her at the moment.

"Please no, please no," she gasped, staring at her shaking hands. Her normally tan skin was pale on her hands. The veins in the back appeared bluer than they were before and they wouldn't stop shaking. They were cool to the touch as she rubbed them together, trying to generate some heat to them. But that was all for naught as they shook harder. "No, no, _no!_"

Then it happened. A light blue glow appeared around her hands and then a split second later a bright beam, the same color of her hands, shot out and struck the nearby metal trashcan. The force of the blast knocked her off her feet and she landed on her back with a hard thud. Cracks, pops, and squeaks pierced the air. Rolling onto her stomach, Sage made sure not to touch her face with her still glowing hands as she glanced over at the object of her destruction.

The metal garbage can bounced bright sunlight not from its metallic body but from the layer of ice sitting atop of it. The ground beneath the garbage can was slick with an invisible layer of ice, cracks marred the surface. Icicles hung from the handle of the garbage can and dripped water droplets due to the warm sun.

Beads of sweat lined Sage's forehead as her hands steadily went back to their normal temperature. The glow faded and the natural pigment to her skin returned back to normal. She pushed against the ground and got to her feet, doing her best to stand up on her shaky legs. The throbbing in her head subsided and she ran her tongue across her dry lips as she approached the garbage can. The ice wasn't too thick, thankfully. The sun could take care of that. She was just glad it wasn't another person this time.

Grabbing her abandoned gloves off the ground, she pulled them back over her hands right as her cell phone rang. She removed it from her pocket, glanced at the caller icon on her screen, and lifted the phone to her ear.

"What's up, Cuz?" she addressed Iris.

"It's Barry!" Iris nearly shouted into the phone. Sage jerked it away from her ear, blinking rapidly. When she finally brought her phone back to her ear she could hear Iris yelling, "awake! He's awake! He's _here_!"

Sage's breath caught in her throat. Her heart beat hard against her chest. A ringing sounded in her ear. But this wasn't a cause for concern. Not this time.

Barry Allen was awake.

* * *

**a/n** \- **1)** Whoa! Guys! Thanks so much for your feedback! I didn't expect to get this much of a response when I posted this story but eleven reviews for the last chapter? Thanks so much! And Barry's awake! What will happen next? You have to wait for the next chapter to find out.

**2)** Also, that Flarrow crossover. What did you guys think? I loved the Flash part of the crossover, the Arrow part, to me, didn't exactly live up to the Flash but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Barry geeking out over the Arrow was adorable!

**3)** This Flash story crosses over with Arrow at a few points but I didn't feel it would be so important to the point I needed to put it in the crossover category. But Team Arrow will appear!

That's all! Didn't mean for the author's note to get this long. Please leave a review, I'd love to hear what you all think!


	4. Catching Up

**_Chapter 3_**

**_Catching Up_**

The fact that her uncle could help her with any sort of trouble she could get into wasn't lost on Sage. Hell, she knew she wouldn't hesitate to use her connections with her family to get any sort of record expunged. It wasn't like she was _speeding_ to get to the Police Department. Part of the way she could get her motorcycle was that she followed every rule of the road (that she could remember anyway) and she had stuck by them so far. But, at the same time, she wasn't moving at a snail's pace to get there to see that Barry was awake in person.

It had been nine months after all. Nine months that her friend had been in a coma—sleeping, she reasoned, to make it sound better—and now he was finally awake. But so much time had moved on without him. She wasn't the same as she was before. Not exactly. Would _he_ be the same or would he be different? He was the one who missed out on events more than they did but there was a sense of loss on both ends. Not the same sort of loss but loss nonetheless.

Sage hoped that their reunion would seal the hole that was left wide open and pulsated in a way that neither eating nor binge watching shows on Netflix could cure. It was strange not having Barry around those nine months. It almost felt as if he had merely been on a long vacation. What could they talk about now? Would he rather be treated differently or like nothing had changed? There were so many questions and not enough answers.

It didn't take long for her reach the parking lot of the police department. She shut off the vibrating vehicle between her legs and balanced on her tip toes on the ground. She ducked her head to remove her helmet and looked up at the large building. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was it. Barry was inside and he was awake and alive and everything would go back to normal.

**To: Iris  
**_Coming in now. Also –  
how much potential trouble will  
I be in for admitting to running  
a red light on my way here? Oops!_

Slipping her phone back into her pocket she quickly came up with an excuse that she was just so excited at Barry being awake that she couldn't wait to get there to see him. They had to believe that. It was almost as good as an excuse as rushing to bring a wife going into labor to the hospital. Some people got police escorts even! Sage was sure her excuse could be hand waved and taken care of.

Swinging a leg over her bike, she shoved her keys into her pocket and jogged in towards the large building. She darted this way and that to avoid those that milled about on the sidewalk but her little dance to maneuver around those in her way only lasted for so long. She didn't have enough time to stop herself from crashing into a man that had stepped in her way.

"Whoa! Sorry dude! Er, sir. Sorry _sir!_" Sage apologized, stumbling to keep her balance. "Sorry. I just…someone's waiting for me in there and I'm excited to see him." She pressed her lips together, feeling the onslaught of words building up in her mouth and bouncing off her clenched teeth. He didn't need to be bored with details that didn't pertain to him. Then, a second later, she realized what she had said and opened her mouth, releasing the flood gates. "Not that they're in jail or anything! 'Cause they're not! They didn't do anything bad! I don't have friends that are criminals or anything of the sort."

The man stared at her, the blank expression on his face not changing. His cold, steel-like eyes bored into her and made her words die off as if an invisible hand was squeezing her throat, cutting off all noise. A bead of sweat collected at the side of her head from the mere intensity of his stare. Her body began to tremble. Sweat flooded her palms and pooled under her arms. Why was he staring at her like that?

She managed to breathe out and then her eyes widened at the sight of her cloud-like breath. Curling her fingers into fists, she could already feel a chilling sensation start at her fingertips and slowly crawl up towards her palm. "Sorry—I gotta go!"

Sage turned and flew up the stairs into the police department. She managed to slip past the security guard standing by the door, of which she always found funny. It was a building already filled with police officers, why did they need another one standing by the door to guard them all? It just didn't make sense.

"Ah, Ms. Moreaux. I bet I know why you're here," the security guard greeted her with a smile. "Go on up, they're all waiting for you." He tilted his head in the direction of the stairs as a smile appeared on his face. It was contagious; in the next second Sage was beaming from ear to ear and her brief encounter with the strange staring man was a thing of the past as she darted towards the stairs. She met up with Joe and Eddie who were coming down on her way up.

"Hey! Uncle Joe, Pretty Boy, where are you headed?" she asked, pausing on the stairs.

"Bank robbery in progress," Joe replied, briefly stopping on the stairs to lean over and kiss her forehead. "Might be late tonight. Leftovers are in the fridge."

"Sage, you know my name is Eddie," he said, his mouth twisting to the side. "Do you have to keep calling me Pretty Boy?"

"Do you have to look as good as you do?" she shot back. She smiled when he appeared torn between being amused and frustrated. "If you didn't catch that, the answer is yes. I _have_ to call you Pretty Boy. Anyway, I'm not here to stare at you—"

"Thankfully," he muttered.

"—I have a Barry to see. How's he look?"

"Exactly the same," Joe replied. "Boy gets struck by lightning, doesn't look any different from the day he was hit."

Sage pouted. "No scars? No lightning trees? No disfiguration?" Joe shook his head. "What a bummer!" Joe and Eddie exchanged a look before turning it to Sage. A few seconds of their incredulous gaze and her body jolted with realization. "Not that I want anything to _actually_ be wrong with him of course," she stated, hastily waving her hands. _Though it would make him much more interesting_, she added in her mind. "Go catch some bad guys!"

She turned on her heel and jogged up the rest of the stairs before Joe or Eddie could say anything to her. She took them two at a time and easily navigated her way to the offices where she had to dodge police personnel moving around minding their own business. She burst into the office and looked around. Her eyes easily sought out her tall friend who stood by Iris.

"_Barry!_" she yelled so loudly that it made some people stop and look to see who was yelling. But she didn't care. There he was, in the flesh. She closed the distance between them in an instant and threw her arms around his neck. She expected him to smell like charred bacon or something but he still smelled the same way: like a combination of sweet cologne and dryer sheets.

"Sage! Oh, it's so good to see you!" Barry said as he squeezed her back. Her feet left the ground as he hugged her tight and he beamed down at her once her feet touched the ground once more. "Look at you. You look great."

"You do too, Mr. I Was Struck By Lightning," she agreed, punching him on the arm. "Hell, you even look well rested. Maybe we all should get struck."

"Not with the way static frizzes my hair," Iris commented, running her hand over her own hair to smooth it down.

"With how long you take in the bathroom with your flatiron I didn't think it was possible for you to ever get frizzy hair," Sage teased, sticking out her tongue. "But really," she continued, turning to Barry, "are you okay? You wake up out of nowhere and you're _walking_ and you're _fine_?"

"Yeah," he replied, shrugging. "I've never been better. Really."

"And there's no side effects? No twitching? No spasms? No sensitivity to light? Nothing?" With every suggestion Sage poked Barry in the arm, as if waiting for something to happen, like for antlers to grow out of his head or wings to pop out of his back.

"Do you…_want_ something to be wrong with me?" Barry asked, chuckling.

"There already _is_ something wrong with you," Sage pointed out in a teasing tone, "you think Science is _fun_."

"Hey, there's always something new being discovered or something new to learn," Barry protested. "It's one of the more interesting subjects out there. I mean, with math you have certain limitations on what you can do. History, everything has happened and you can't really learn anything new with something that has already occurred. Not in the same sense, anyway. But Science! There are no limitations whatsoever! You can do anything! You can make anything! The cure to cancer can be discovered tomorrow."

Iris and Sage exchanged a look at Barry's gushing before smiling. Watching his face light up and that sparkle appear in his eye was something Sage didn't know she had missed until that moment. It made hear heart squeeze. So what if she had to listen to him rant about something she didn't care for and knew nothing about? Just hearing him talk again sent a batch of warm fuzzies flying through her body. Her heart jumped and her lips curled up into a smile. It was the same ol' Barry alright. No lightning strike could ever change that.

"Oh! But enough about me, Joe says you suffered from the explosion too," Barry said, turning his attention to Sage. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye, as if waiting for her to start to mutate beneath his gaze. "You were in the hospital? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just hypothermia. I'm fine," Sage replied, shrugging him off. "No a big deal compared to you. Iris and Uncle Joe helped nurse me back to health. Just a bit sensitive to the cold now." _And then some_, she mentally added.

"Is that what the gloves are for?" he asked, motioning to them. "Uh, interesting fashion statement."

"I convince her to get a manicure one time and the next thing I know it's like she's trying to preserve it," Iris said with a roll of her eyes although a smile sat on her face.

Barry's eyebrows lifted. "You…got a manicure?" he asked. Sage shrugged her shoulders while bobbing her head in an affirmative nod. He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his short hair. "Wow…I've been out of it for a while then, huh? To miss something like that."

"S'not that big of a deal, Bare," Sage mumbled. She bit her lip as Iris looked down at her feet and Barry shoved his hands into his pockets. An elephant landed smack dab in the middle of the room thanks to Barry bringing it up. Sage was fine with the hints here and there. The only constant reminder that Barry hadn't been there was…Barry not being there. Otherwise they had gone on with their lives perfectly fine.

Well, not _perfectly_ fine. There were times at dinner that Iris had to excuse herself to go cry. She had taken time every day to visit him at the hospital and then at S.T.A.R. Labs when he had been moved. It was all so easy for her to get up and go. After getting out of the hospital Iris had to practically drag Sage to visit Barry which, at the time, had put a strain on their relationship. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Barry, but it was that she _couldn't._

She couldn't stop wondering if things had been different had she gone with them. Had she not made fun of his interests so much and tried to take her own interest in the subject. Had she not decided to go along with her friends for a night of partying. Would they have stayed longer? Would they have been out of harm's way and not end up where they were now?

"Hey," Barry said quietly. Sage lifted her head, not noticing that her attention had shifted to their feet. Smiling, he grasped her gloved hand and then grabbed Iris's free hand and gave them a squeeze. Her cousin looked almost as troubled as she did. "Guys, I'm okay. I'm alive and well. See?" He dropped their hands and did a little jig on the spot that made the two girls crack smiles. "I'm alright. Everything will be fine."

"Alright, Sunshine," Sage said with a roll of her eyes. "How about a round of coffees? We can catch up."

Barry laughed. "Nice to know you're still as obsessed with coffee as before."

"It's her lifeline," Iris teased.

_No kidding_. Sage stuck her tongue out at the two who smiled at her. Barry's smile quickly faded as he turned and his eyes rested on the memorial for Chyre. Iris explained what happened to him, how he had gotten shot when they were trying to catch the Mardon brothers when Chyre had gotten fatally shot.

Sage remembered his funeral. It was nice as far as funerals go; everyone had good memories of him and something nice to say. But his children didn't fully understand what was going on, them being so young. That's what made Sage's heart ache that day, more so than Joe's partner having been taken away from them. A father had been taken away from his children and as far as they knew it was for no reason. Had it been hers, she didn't know what she'd feel.

Sage blinked and was brought back to the present when a strange gust of wind displaced her hair and Barry appeared troubled and quick sick. He was breathing heavily and his face was slick with a light coating of sweat. A captured criminal was shouting as two police officers lead him away in handcuffs.

"Barry, are you alright?" Iris asked, her words laced with concern.

"I-I'm fine," Barry stammered, his eyes darting around. "I'll call you later, okay? Meet up with you two for that coffee." He barely muttered an excuse me before he brushed past them and ran off.

"Well, lightning didn't zap his weirdness, that's for sure," Sage commented.

"Sage, be nice," Iris chastised her. "He just woke up from a long coma. Cut him some slack. It may take him a while to readjust." Offering up a smile she looped her cousin's arm with her own. "Come on; let's get started on that coffee."

The two girls left the offices and walked arm in arm out of the building. Iris began talking to her about a customer she had that morning that didn't seem to like anything she did to make his perfect cup of coffee. It was too hot, it was too cold, there was too much foam, there was not enough foam, the milk tasted funny, and she was skimping on the whipped cream. But Sage was only half listening as the two girls descended the front stairs of the police department. Her attention had landed on the man from before, who was standing in the entrance of the diner across the street, Motorcar. His eyes bored into her and made her falter. Her foot missed a step and her heart jumped up into her throat as she stumbled forward. She managed to catch her balance before taking a large tumble down the stairs.

"Are you alright?" Iris asked, helping Sage back to her feet.

"Yeah. I, uh, always miss that step. I'm good," Sage replied, getting to her feet. She brushed dirt off her knees and looked across the street from beneath her fringe.

The man was gone.


	5. Wired

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Wired**_

The loud, pulsating music that boomed in the room covered up the sounds of their shoes squeaking and stomping against the floor as their bodies moved in unison to the preset steps given to them. There was nothing like a good dance class to make Sage feel as if she were on top of the world. Her movements were fluid, each step merging into the next one as muscle memory worked to help her perform. She loved the lemon-like smell that permeated throughout the room.

She loved the way her heart appeared to beat in time with the music as she danced with the other girls. She loved the sense of freedom and clarity that being wrapped up in the music could provide. And the fact that she could share the experience with other girls in her class was a blessing. Music could relieve pain and take the listener to a suspended sense of reality in a three second and thirty minute time span. It was a magical thing that Sage held dear.

She wasn't a weirdo when she was on the dance floor. She wasn't a monster. She wasn't a killer. She couldn't wreak havoc and lose control with her mind focused on the steps. She could be herself. She could be _normal_. Her dance class was the only time she felt like her old self. It was astounding how a short span of nine months could make her feel like a completely different person.

"Okay girls, that's enough for today!" the woman at the front of the room called while clapping her hands together. "Good practice. See you all next time." She turned away from the group of girls who were now milling about and spoke quietly to the man that had been watching them dance from their first sequence. The girls would have ignored him if it weren't for his briefcase and the large, dark sunglasses covering his eyes. Who wore sunglasses indoors anyway?

Sage crossed the room to where her gym bag laid waiting for her. Chest heaving as she worked to get her breath back, she grabbed a bottle of water that was in it and then went for her phone. Her eyebrows crinkled at the blinking blue light in the top right corner, signaling she had a message of some sort. Her eyebrows came together even further when the screen lit up and she saw the amount of texts that were waiting to be read. Her thumb hovered over the screen as she took a swig of her water, only to spit it out when one of the other dancers, Lennox, slapped her on the back.

"So who do you think he's going to pick?" Lennox whispered, her eyes trained on the man.

Sage wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glanced over at the man herself. "Who? Him? Pick for what? Does he need people to help him make an entrance into the room or something? I mean, it'd be less conspicuous than just bursting in on a bunch of girls dancing. And less creepy."

Lennox rolled her eyes. "No! Sage, don't you know who that is?" She hissed.

Sage twisted her mouth to the side. "Uh….James Bond?" she guessed.

Lennox grabbed Sage's arm and gave it a squeeze. "That's a scout. But not just a scout. _The_ scout. Jeremy Fox. He's partnered up with the Queens and is looking for new talent to perform some nights out in Starling City. You gotta have it all, the moves, the voice, the charisma. They want a new act for Verdant."

"Verdant's reopening?" Sage asked, her eyes widening. Verdant was Starling City's _hottest_ nightclub. It helped that it was run by the Queens. Everything they touched turned to gold. But then Queen Consolidated got bought out and Verdant shut down. New nightclubs had opened up but they never lived up to what the Queens had built. Of course there were nightclubs in Central City but nothing could compare to Verdant.

Iris and Sage had attended once before when they took a Girls Trip out there. There was a lot of pouting and begging to let Joe allow them to go and he did. Eventually. With the promise that they had to call him every hour and that they were to text him every time they left the hotel or went somewhere new so he had tabs on their location.

The trip ended up a blast. They explored the city, visited Verdant, ate some of the local cuisine, and took part in a few tours. (Sage tried to coax out Iris's natural journalistic curiosity in an attempt to see The Glades but Iris shot that down.) It would have been the perfect weekend had Joe not sent Chyre after them to spy. "Recon," Joe said. "Stalking," Iris shot back. It was still brought up whenever they thought Joe was getting a bit out of hand with his protective nature.

"Yep." Lennox nodded. "And I hear whoever gets the gig they'll cover transportation and housing depending how far they're traveling. They're looking for the best of the best."

Sage's nose wrinkled. "And they came here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the girls but Susie has flat feet and I don't think Kelly can tell her left from her right sometimes and _Michelle_—" Lennox elbowed Sage in the side and she cut off her teasing remark by sticking out her tongue. "But dude! This is so cool! Whoever he chooses is gonna have it _made._" She sighed. "Imagine having _Oliver Queen_ watch you perform."

"Imaging having _Thea Queen_ watch you perform," Lennox shot back with a smirk.

Sage laughed. "We're never going to agree on that front are we?"

"No. But I will agree with you on the fact that they have really good genes." Chuckling, Lennox flashed a peace sign and joined the mass clog the girls had made on their way out the door. Sage shook her head and knelt to zip up her bag. Lennox was a trip. She was glad to have a friend in the class. It made her feel less…strange.

With a grunt, Sage grabbed the strap on her bag and lifted it up. The weight on her shoulder made her sway a little on the spot but she regained her balance. She waved goodbye to their instructor and followed the trickle of students out the door. Her attention then switched to her phone in her hand to see what had gone on that was so important that she had been bombarded with texts from Iris.

**To: Sage  
From: Iris  
**_Text me back as soon  
as you get this._

**To: Sage  
From: Iris  
**_It's important! Text me!_

**To: Sage  
From: Iris  
**_Barry knows about Eddie.  
He saw us at Jitters. SOS!_

**To: Sage  
From: Iris  
**_Almost got hit by a car.  
Barry and dad are fighting.  
Need to talk NOW!_

Sage would have rolled her eyes and thought that Iris was being a tad overdramatic as usual until she read the last text. Her breath cut off and she had to stop walking to reread the text a few times to be sure she hadn't made up what it said. Questions shot through her head but none managed to stick on any sort of answer that could even potentially be formed in her mind.

Yelling a goodbye to the woman at the front desk of the dance studio, Sage grabbed her bag to keep it from slapping against her side as she ran down the street to CC Jitters. She mumbled apologies as she ran, doing her best to avoid knocking into people. But with her bag as an extended version of her, she wasn't doing a good job due to her haste.

Her heart pounded against her chest and her sides ached from how fast she ran. Wind whistled in her ears and tugged on her clothes and her bag to slow her down. The traffic on one corner was what finally made her take pause. She leaned against a nearby pole to recoup, her eyes jumping from the traffic lights to the cars as she waited for a break to jog across.

The lights changed from green to yellow. Sage placed her hand on the pole to keep herself up as her world tilted. She gave her head a shake and looked around again. The sidewalk came up at an angle. Her once hard beating heart began to slow to irregular beats. She felt as if an elephant was sitting on her chest, keeping her from getting proper air. A jackhammer went off in her head. A pool of sour tasting saliva pooled on her tongue as her stomach turned and flopped.

_No. Not now! Please not now!_

Her knuckles turned white as she put her weight on her palm to keep herself up. She tried to wrack her brain and figure out how long it had been since she last had a cup of coffee but it wouldn't cooperate. The busy city scene in front of her dipped and swayed and all of the colors began to blend together, like a rainbow being sucked down a drain.

"Hey? Are you okay?" Sage blinked a few times and looked up to see a man looking at her in a peculiar way. "It says walk." He pointed to the indicator on the other side of the street that outlined a white walking figure.

"Th-thanks," Sage gasped and sprinted forward. Her once quick movements felt slow, like trudging through mud that clawed and reached for her feet, dragging her down. But she fought on. Each step made her head throb with an ache that she was sure equated to having a drill pressed to her head.

Finally CC Jitters came into view. Sage was staggering by that point. Her knees bent but it didn't help her carry herself that far. People stared at her, their concern a fleeting expression that was then switched over to disgust. Sage stumbled through the front door of Jitters and made a beeline for Tracy behind the counter.

"Hey Sage. Let me guess you're here for—_whoa!_" Tracy's eyebrows jumped up and her mouth fell open at the sight of Sage's disheveled hair and her pale face and trembling body. "Sage, are you alright? You look sick. Do you need a doctor?"

"N-no," Sage uttered despite the strong tremors shooting through her body. "Just n-need c-coffee. Now."

"Lady, can't you see there's a line?" a disgruntled man in a business suit demanded from behind her. "A line of _paying_ customers?"

"Hey, sorry. It's alright, she's with me," Iris apologized, coming out of the back room. She flashed a smile to the customers in line and grabbed Sage by the upper arm, pulling her away. "But Tracy's right, you don't look so good." Iris placed a hand on Sage's forehead. "Hmm. You're not burning up. But you're really cold."

"You sh-should f-feel my h-h-hands," Sage replied, her teeth chattering seemingly in time with her new round of shivers. "J-just…gimmie some c-c-coffee. Please."

"Sage, I really think—"

"Now, Iris!"

"Okay, okay," Iris muttered, hurrying behind the counter. Sage stumbled over to a nearby high-top table and used it to help keep her up. Her slow beating heart thudded hard against her chest and her head held painful explosions, like fireworks being shot off in the confined space. "Here ya go," Iris said, announcing her presence as she came back with the steaming mug of coffee.

Sage couldn't get her gloves off fast enough. She had to bite on the tip of one of the fingers to pull the other off. In a flash she grasped the mug in her hands and began to chug the steaming liquid. Ignoring the expression on her cousins' face and the strong burning sensation on her tongue she kept drinking, feeling heat fill her up from her feet up to her head. She set the mug down with a clamor and exhaled a long, satisfied breath.

The pain pangs on her head ebbed away as the seconds ticked by. She could feel the heat in the mug slowly seep into her palms and warm up the cold, tingling fingers that curled around the heat source. She waited breathing and exhaling deeply as her heart beat fell back into its normal rhythm and her body tremors slowed. Only when she felt like she could stand on her own two feet without passing out did she drop into the chair and manage a smile. "Can I have another?"

"I think you're taking your addiction to a whole new level," Iris muttered.

"Lay off, will you?" Sage grumbled, her words taking on more bite than she had intended. But she wasn't sorry. If she wanted someone to nag her all day about the choices she was making she'd go back home. Iris's eyebrows crinkled and she muttered incoherent words beneath her breath as she regained her composure. "So you're awfully calm for someone who almost got hit by a car," Sage pointed out, looking Iris over as best as she could with the counter in the way. There were no bumps or bruises or scratches on her as far as she could see. "What in the world were you doing in the street anyway?"

"I wasn't in the street," Iris replied while combining ingredients for Sage's caramel macchiato. "Barry and I were walking and talking and some car jumped the curb and almost hit us but Barry got us out of the way."

"Barry Allen?" Sage repeated, one of her eyebrows lifting. "Scrawny, string bean Barry Allen knocked you out of the way of a car?" When Iris nodded she snorted. "Does that sound funny outloud to only me? I mean, this is the same guy who once gave himself a blackeye with a pizza box. A _pizza box_."

Iris did her best not to smile at the memory. Instead she shrugged and said, "Yeah, that Barry Allen."

"What were you talking about?"

Iris didn't respond right away. She took her time adding whipped cream to the drink and carried it over to the table. She set it down and lifted herself up into the seat opposite her cousin. Iris tapped her finger against the table and waited for Sage to take another sip of her drink before answering. "Barry knows about me and Eddie."

"Mmm," Sage hummed. She licked excess whipped cream off of her mouth. "I _still_ don't get what you see in the Nick Carter wannabe."

"Sage, he's not a Nick Carter wannabe," Iris admonished.

"Yeah he is! Look at him. Blond hair. Blue eyes. A pretty boy. Check, check, and check. At least NC doesn't brag about all his feats. I mean, how many times did I have to hear about you telling me about his record of…detectiveness?" Sage didn't wait for Iris to answer. "Too many, Iris." She leaned forward until only a little space remained between their faces and she whispered, "_Too many._"

"You're grossly exaggerating," Iris said, clicking her tongue. "Anyway, that's not the point."

"What _is_ the point then?"

Sage sat back and listened as she explained everything that had gone on earlier that day: that Barry kept disappearing and they ended up talking about her dating Eddie and how Uncle Joe still didn't know and that she almost got hit by a car that Barry claimed to have been driven by Clyde Mardon. But that wasn't the weird part. Well, Clyde Mardon apparently being alive and robbing banks _was_ weird but it was the fact that he would disappear as storms broke out of nowhere.

It sounded like something in a comic book.

"So…someone's going around robbing banks and during each robbery some freak storm pops up?" Sage asked slowly as her mind tried to process what she had just heard. None of this could be true but, then again, she never thought she would have to worry about freezing anyone to death. "So he tackled you out of the way of a car, got into a fight with Uncle Joe, and now he's…gone?"

"Yeah," Iris relied. "I tried calling him, texting him…do you think he's okay?"

"It's Barry. When has he ever been 'okay' to start with?" Sage asked in a dry manner. But Iris didn't crack a smile at Sage's teasing. Sage cleared her throat and brushed her hand across her nose while clearing her throat. "Okay, sorry, not funny. Ris, he's probably fine. How many fights has he gotten into? Despite all that he's managed to live to see twenty-five. I think he can handle himself."

"But he just got out of a coma," Iris pointed out. "We don't know if it had any side effects. What if he lost some of his memory? What if he's wandering around somewhere?"

"Relax," Sage uttered. "He's like a puppy. He'll come back around dinnertime. Anyway, let me tell you about my news. Some scout came by dance practice today and he's looking for a new act to perform at _Verdant_."

"No!" Iris gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "They're reopening!?"

"They are! Can you believe it? God, I hope I get it. Free trip."

"Free _drinks_ hopefully." At the shocked expression on Sage's face Iris continued, "Hey, I provide the coffee, you provide the alcohol."

"Fine, deal," Sage laughed, sticking out her tongue. "But don't go dreaming about the vacation just yet. He might not pick any of us."

"Then he's an idiot who doesn't know a good dancer when he sees it," Iris replied, her nose scrunching up in a rabbit-like way as she smiled.

Sage drained her mug and glanced at the clock on her phone. She made a mental note of at what time she got her caffeine and then slid off the chair. "Alright, I have homework so I might as well give it a shot so I'll see you later, Cuzzo."

"Be careful," Iris commented, looking over her shoulder and out the window. "It looks like a storm's coming."

"Well, look who's finally up," Joe commented as Sage trudged down the stairs the next morning. He turned away from the refrigerator, shaking a carton of orange juice while watching her walk straight to the kitchen table and flop down in a chair. "You look well rested."

Sage resisted the urge to stick her middle finger out at him. Well-rested wasn't the word she would use for herself. Not when she didn't get any sleep at all due to the sudden storm that popped up. Wind battered the house, lightning flashed, and thunder cracked above her head to the point she wound up in her closet with a blanket wrapped around her holding onto a flashlight and clutching her phone. The radio had something about a tornado on the outskirts of the city and she had stayed glued in the small space well past the all-clear was given. She almost called her mother during the storm to have someone to calm her down but she nixed that idea. Her mom wouldn't be of any help anyway.

"You're not funny," she grumbled, rubbing at her eye with the heel of her palm. "Where's Iris?" she asked amidst a yawn.

Joe handed her a glass of orange juice. She quickly set it down on the table and pulled her hands into the sleeves of her longsleeved shirt. "It's past nine. She went to work," he replied.

"Oh yeah," she mumbled. "Forgot." She grasped the glass between her two covered hands and took a sip of it. "You got back late last night," she noted.

"Yeah, we had to follow a lead out to a farm," Joe replied, resting his back against a counter as he took a sip of his own orange juice.

"So Clyde was there? He's actually alive?" Sage asked.

"Now, Sage, you know I can't discuss police matters."

Sage blinked. "You just told me you were following a lead. Haven't you already crossed that line?" she pointed out.

Joe moved to open his mouth but a knock sounding on the door stopped him. Sage leaned back in her chair to see the door open and Barry stroll through a second later. "Well well, where've you been stranger?" she called out, draping one arm across the back of her chair. "You suddenly have a hot date you didn't tell us about? We girls are suckers for injury stories. Even when they're attached to nerds like yourself."

Barry didn't roll his eyes or smile patiently at her teasing as he used to. Instead he kept his eyes trained on her until he stood by the head of the table. He broke his stare, cleared his throat, and looked over at Joe. "D'you mind giving us a second?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," Joe replied, setting his glass down. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just need to ask her something," Barry replied.

Sage and Joe exchanged matching looks of confusion but Joe did what he was asked and left the room. Sage dropped her arm in favor of lowering her chair and turning sideways to address Barry. "What's going on, Bare?" she asked, her eyebrows coming together. "You look like you saw a ghost."

Barry licked his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes scanned her face and for a while he didn't say anything. Sage shifted in her seat under his gaze and began fidgeting with the hem of the sleeves that covered her hands. He was looking at her just like her father used to stare her down. She couldn't look back at him. Shifting her gaze, she had just grasped her glass of orange juice and was about to take a sip when he finally spoke.

"What happened to you when the particle accelerator exploded?" he asked.

She paused, the glass barely brushing her lips. She breathed out and a very light crackling sound reached her ears as a layer of ice appeared on the edge. She quickly licked it away and set her glass back down. "You already know," she replied. "I got hypothermia and was stuck in the hospital for two weeks."

"That's all?" Barry urged.

Sage nodded her head. "That's all," she replied.

He sighed and scratched behind his ear. She watched him carefully, her muscles tensing in her shoulders and her back. He looked at her again. "Why won't you pick up your glass?" he asked.

"What? Barry, you're being weird. I just picked it up. You saw me," Sage said, standing to get some space between them. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out a small container of yogurt.

"With your hand," he stated. Sage stood and looked at him over the top of the open door. He stared back at her, holding her gaze. "Why won't you touch anything with your hand?" he reiterated. "You always wear gloves. And now you're using your sleeve."

"I'm just…weird," Sage replied, closing the door. Her nose wrinkled at the excuse. _Damn, you could've come up with something better than that._ "Can we drop it?"

"No," Barry insisted. "Something…something happen to you that night, didn't it?" he asked, watching her. Sage tapped a finger against her sleeve and the container in her hand. "Something weird. Something you can't explain. Something…"

"…Impossible?" Sage filled in for him, her voice a whisper. Barry nodded. She mimicked his nod, biting her lip.

"I think we need to talk," he said.

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- And here we are with another update! I'm sorry it took so long. I was supposed to have it up on Tuesday to coincide with the Flash returning from hiatus but I kept getting distracted. But better late than never, right? So! Barry has deduced that Sage has powers, but how will this affect everyone? What did you think of Sage's symptoms?

Speaking of Tuesday's episodes, whoa. _Revenge of the Rogues_ was a great start to the rest of the season, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Captain Cold/HeatWave dynamic was great (although a little cheesy sometimes) but overall the episode was great! It's turned be a bit into a Cisclin shipper (Cisco/Caitlin). They have a chemistry that I enjoy and I hope they implement that a little more in the future. What did you all think of it? And what did you think of this chapter? Please read and review!

P.S. I changed the cover image to a pic of Tinashe Kachingwe, the girl I'm using as Sage's "face".


	6. When you Wish Upon a STAR

_**Chapter 5**_

_**When you Wish Upon a S.T.A.R.**_

"Uncle Joe? You haven't said anything for twenty minutes."

Barry's eyes shifted from Sage over to Joe who still leaned against a counter in the kitchen with his palm pressed against his mouth. It was almost as if he were shell-shocked. Not that he blamed the detective. He was still reeling himself from hearing what the particle accelerator did to Sage and knowing that she had to go through it alone. He wanted to hit himself.

Sage had always been like a little sister to him. While he and Iris were off doing something she'd chase after them, wanting to tag along. He'd always had a need to protect her and make sure she was okay, even when they weren't even in the same country. As they grew he made sure to keep in contact with her as much as Iris did, knowing she didn't exactly have the best relationship with her parents as it could have been.

But for those nine months he wasn't there for her. He _couldn't_ be there for her and that hurt him deep inside. There had never been a time in his life where he wasn't there for her and yet she had to go through such a big change alone. She was confused and scared and frustrated even if she didn't have to say it aloud, he knew. Because that was how he felt once he woke up and realized how much time had passed and discovered the power he had. Sometimes it was fun but it was also scary. Because, if Sage had powers too and so did Clyde Mardon, that meant anyone out there could have them. And they couldn't all be good, could they?

"So," Barry spoke up, earning the attention of Joe and Sage. He licked his lip and cleared his throat. "You can freeze things," he said aloud, testing the odd words on his tongue. "And that's why you wear glove all the time?"

"Yeah," Sage replied, nodding. "I can't touch anything without being careful. Uncle Joe, that's why I never…why I can't…" She sighed and her shoulders fell, as if she were wilting before their eyes. Her eyes were downcast and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Why you never hugged me," Joe finished for her, finally speaking. She nodded her head solemnly. "But your gloves—"

"I didn't want to take the chance," Sage interrupted him. "I couldn't risk…messing you up. Messing up anything else."

"But you hugged me just fine," Barry pointed out.

"I wasn't thinking," Sage replied. "I…I saw you. And I was happy that you were awake. I could have hurt you." She tucked her hair behind her ear and sat up straighter in her chair, turning her attention to Joe once more. "I would have said something but…I mean, how exactly can you explain that you can freeze anything you touch? It sounds crazy."

"A few days ago the idea of Clyde Mardon still being alive was crazy. This isn't crazy. This is beyond crazy," Joe replied, rubbing the sides of his mustache with his thumbs. "This is…this is impossible." He pointed at Sage. "You can freeze things." He pointed at Barry. "And you can run really fast." He chuckled and rubbed at his mustache again. "I want to believe that I'm dreaming but even I can't make this stuff up."

"You can run really fast?" Sage asked, shifting her attention over to Barry. She snorted. "Isn't that ironic, Mr. I'm Always Late Even When I set Five Alarms."

"Trust me, I understand the irony," Barry replied, scratching behind his ear. "But yeah, I can run…really fast."

"Like, how fast? 100mph fast? A fighter jet fast?" Sage asked, her eyebrows lifting. "Faster than a speeding bullet?"

"Not quite that fast," Barry replied. "Well, actually, I don't know yet. But it's…it's a decent speed. I think Dr. Wells and the others have me clocked in at 325mph so far."

"Wait, Dr. Wells? Others?" Sage asked, holding up her hands as if to block his words. She closed her eyes briefly, making a face as she processed the information and then opened them. "I knew they were running tests on you but…you're awake now. Do they still need you around? Are you okay?" Her teasing tone dropped from her words and she let worry settle in instead. Her eyes scanned his body as if checking to see if something was hanging off of him or had altered him in a way she hadn't noticed yet. If he could have super speed there could be something else wrong with him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Barry replied. "The thing is…" he paused and looked over at Joe. Joe didn't say anything; instead, he grabbed the nearby mug of coffee and took another sip of it. "They feel responsible for what happened with the particle accelerator. After I woke up they ran some tests on me and wanted to see what it was that the particle accelerator did to me. I then found out there the particle accelerator not only affected me but others as well—you and Clyde Mardon—and so I went to confront them about it.

"Metahumans are what they're calling them. People with powers. People…people like us. We're not the only ones out there, Sage. We're not the only ones who were affected. And while I have this power I want to use it to be able to help others. Maybe help make them feel better about the explosion. There are others out there like Clyde, others that use their powers for bad. Apparently there has been an increase in crime around the city over the past nine months—"

"I know," Sage interrupted him. She laced her fingers together and glanced over at Joe and then started to twiddle her thumbs. "Work tends to come home with police officers."

"Right." Barry nodded. "I want to stop them. And they're helping me do it. I can help the city while they get to study me. It's…it's a deal we made."

"So, what, you're some sort of superhero?" Sage asked dryly. "Wearing tights and maybe a stupid mask and you have a secret identity and everything?"

"Kindaaa…." Barry dragged out, a sheepish expression on his face. "I mean, it's more of a hood than a mask but still…"

Sage looked between Barry and Joe a few times before she burst out laughing. Barry Allen? A _superhero?_ How absurd of an idea! This was the same guy who was never on time to anything. The same guy who wore the thickest rimmed glasses in the world whenever he suffered eye fatigue. The same guy who got cheap thrills out of _science_ and _history_. And she was supposed to believe that he was a superhero now? The idea just tickled her. But apparently it wasn't that funny because Barry and Joe weren't laughing, which only made Sage's laugh slowly die down.

"Oh god…you're serious?" Sage asked. "You're a superhero?"

"It'll make more sense if you come with me and have them explain to you," Barry replied. "What are you doing today?"

"I have class," Sage replied.

"Not until the afternoon, right?" Barry pressed. "Don't worry; you'll be there on time. I'll make sure of it." Barry rolled his eyes at Sage's laugh at his comment. He knew he kind of deserved it. His internal clock was never one that was reliable but once she saw his power she'd know what he was talking about. "Just trust me. Besides, they'll want to see what you can do. They can help you."

Sage pressed her lips together which made Barry hold his breath and wait with his fingers crossed. Surely she'd want to find a way to see if there was some sort of cure for her. He couldn't imagine going through life not being able to touch or hold things. Not being able to hug his father whenever he got out of jail. Not being able to do his forensics job. Not being able to hug Iris…. He swallowed the lump in his throat and managed a smile when she finally agreed to go.

"But I want to get some coffee first," Sage commented, bracing her hands on the table and the back of the chair she was sitting in to stand. In the span of two seconds it took for her to get to her feet Barry ran down to Jitters, grabbed two coffees, and resumed where he was standing. The gust of wind in the aftermath of his running made Sage blink and then look at him in surprise. Her eyes bounced back and forth between the coffees that were now in his hand and to his face. "How did you—?"

"You're gonna have to move faster than that, slowpoke," he teased, holding out a steaming take-away cup.

_**# # #** _

"You know I could have just run us both here. It would have been faster," Barry commented as he pulled the helmet off his head.

"Do you want to pick up your masculinity on the way back?" Sage asked dryly as she yanked off her helmet. She shook her head from side to side, causing her hair to fly around in an effort to fix it and rid herself of her helmet hair. "Would you rather have half your face scraped off due to road rash instead of holding onto me? I'm not _that_ ugly am I?" She carefully swung her leg over the side of the motorcycle to dismount, making sure not to kick Barry in the face.

"Of course not," Barry replied, climbing off behind her. He set the helmet down on the motorcycle seat and rested his arm atop of it while regarding her. "You're beautiful, Sage. I'm just saying we would have been here in a flash."

Barry lifted his arm as Sage grasped the helmet from beneath his arm and hung it on the handlebars. She repeated the process with hers and then paused. Her eyes scanned the row of knobs and buttons and levers on the front of the motorcycle before she looked up at him. "This is what I'm used to, Bare," she said quietly. "This is a piece of what I was before. I need this. Okay?"

"Yeah, I…sorry, Sage. I, uh, I get it," Barry said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's just go inside. Talk to them and let them know what's going on."

"Okay, just give me one…second," Sage replied, leaning over near the side view mirror. She fluffed up her hair with her fingers and pursed her lips.

"What are you doing?" Barry asked.

"You're asking me to walk right into S.T.A.R. Labs to talk to Harrison Wells and you want me to do it with _helmet hair?_ Get real!" Sage replied, still fluffing and finger-combing her hair.

An amused smile stretched across Barry's face as she stood back and waited for Sage to finish her grooming. He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly as her nose scrunched up and she peered at her own reflection. He had almost forgotten how worried she was about the little things. Another pang hit him deep in his chest as he wondered what else had changed over the nine months he was still asleep. Did she still enjoy mini golf and laser tag and blowing bubbles or was she above all that now?

"Okay, I have…a two minute window to make an impression," Sage announced, turning away from the small mirror. She grasped the front of her leather jacket along the zipper tracks and struck a pose. "Well? How do I look?"

He took in her attire—leather jacket, a white tee, jeans, black boots—and shrugged his shoulders. "Amazing as always," Barry replied with a genuine smile. "You look good in anything you wear."

Sage's lips twitched for a moment before she rolled her eyes and turned on her heel. "Don't make me puke, _Barfolomew_," she threw over her shoulder. Barry made a mental note that she was still wary of compliments and easily caught up to her quick gait with his long strides. He walked ahead of her, leading her around the empty building.

He couldn't even begin to imagine what it looked like when it was full of scientists and experiments were going on. He couldn't even begin to imagine how it felt for all of them when the particle accelerated lost control and exploded. They all lost their jobs or, worse, their lives because of it. Because of their work. Because of their livelihoods. How could Dr. Wells and the others keep on going when everyone else gave up? But then he stopped and realized maybe that had no other choice…

"Okay, I feel like I should warn you about them. They're a little…eccentric," Barry said, stopping Sage right outside the double doors.

"So…they're bigger nerds than you are?" Sage asked. She punched him in the arm when he gave her an exasperated look. "If I can handle you for the past twenty-one years of my life I can handle a bunch of scientists."

"Barry, we didn't expect to see you today," Harrison Wells commented, wheeling himself around the corner. His bright blue eyes sparkled behind his black rimmed glasses. "Although I do have to say this is a nice surprise. If you don't have anywhere to be I must implore you to let us run a few more tests on you. There is still so much more in your very own structure that we have not even scratched the surface on."

"Yeah, that's fine with me. But before we do all that I wanted to introduce you to someone," Barry replied. He placed his hand on Sage's lower back and pushed her forward. "This is my friend Sage Moreaux. Sage, Dr. Wells."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sage," Harrison greeted her with a tight-lipped smile. "Though I do have to ask about your presence around here. As I'm sure you can imagine S.T.A.R. Labs is not exactly the number one tourist spot in Central City."

"Barry said you could help me," Sage replied, jerking her thumb over at her friend. She took a deep breath and added, "You're looking for Metahumans, right? Well…you're talking to one." Barry rubbed his thumb against her spine in an effort to comfort her but she wiggled away from his touch. He curled his open hand into a fist and then let his arm drop to his side, turning to Harrison to see his reaction.

As he suspected, Harrison's eyebrows jumped up at her statement. His eyes crinkled in the corner and he briefly tapped his fingers against his mouth. "This is indeed an interesting turn of events," he mused aloud. He dropped his hand and then placed it on the little level of his wheelchair. "Follow me," he said and started forward.

"Barry!" Sage hissed, grabbing onto Barry's arm. "Harrison Wells just _talked_ to me! Am I dreaming?"

"No, you're awake," Barry said, laughing, leading her inside while holding his arm aloft for her. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? Remember to breathe. He's a normal guy like the rest of us."

"I recall being the one telling _you_ that when you nearly lost your mind when the particle accelerator first turned on," Sage mused aloud. "But gosh, he's more handsome in person."

"I'm not even going to touch that."

Letting go of his arm, Sage punched him again. Her facials muscles twitched for a moment and she turned away from him, holding onto his arm. He chuckled, a smirk gracing his lips as they entered the large room. "Hey guys," he greeted Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon with a wave of his hand. "This is my friend Sage Moreaux," he added, pointing at her. "Sage, Dr. Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon."

Caitlin pulled her lower lip into her mouth at the sight of the newcomer. Her cheeks, stained red, appeared to redden a little more and she glanced at Harrison. He didn't say anything. He merely brought his fingers together and steepled them, tapping each against the other in turn. Finally, with a sigh, she go to her feet and approached.

"I'd say it's nice to meet you but…given the circumstances…" she said, twisting her fingers together. Sage nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. "How are you feeling?"

Sage's body gave a little jolt that she couldn't contain and she rubbed the back of her neck. "A little cold," she replied. "But other than that I'm fine." Caitlin nodded. The two looked around as silence stretched between them. Sage began rocking back and forth on her heels until she looked down and finally blurted out, "Nice shoes."

Caitlin's gaze went down to her feet for a brief second before looking back up at the newcomer. Her eyebrows lowered and her lips twitched. She rubbed them together, muttered a quick, "Thank you" and went back over to one of the many computers set up.

Sage's mouth twisted to the side. All she said was "nice shoes" What could she have possibly done wrong? One glance in Barry's direction didn't give her any sort of answer; he seemed just as confused as she was. She began to mimic Caitlin, twisting her fingers together, until she looked over at Cisco and saw something in his hand that made her eyes light up. "Where'd you get the lollypop?"

"Oh, I have a drawer full of this stuff," Cisco replied, waving his arm in the direction of the desk. "Have whatever you like."

"Sweet," she muttered, heading for the desk. "Do you have any Jolly Ranchers?"

Barry let get of the breath he had been holding. This was good. Not as great as he had hoped but it was better than nothing. Sage was kinda getting along with his…friends? Colleagues? Co-workers? All of the labels that went through his mind didn't quite sit well with him. There wasn't one perfect word that could accurately describe what they were at the moment and that left him a bit unsettled.

"She looks a lot like that girl that came in here to visit you. Iris," Caitlin spoke up as Barry shoved his hands into his pockets. He glanced at her over his shoulder as she turned on one of the computer screens.

"Oh, yeah. She's Iris's cousin," Barry replied. His heart skipped a beat as it always did whenever Iris's name was mentioned around him.

"Really? They look like they could be sisters."

"They get that a lot." Barry scratched at the back of his neck and sighed. "That's why this kinda sucks. Her being like me. I'd…rather keep her out of it if I could. All of them."

"What exactly can she do?" Caitlin asked, standing up straight.

"That's what I was wondering myself, Dr. Snow," Harrison spoke up, moving away from the observation window that he had been sitting in front of. The little wheels on his chair turned him around and presented him the sight of Cisco and Sage digging through a large bag of assorted candy, their cheeks puffed out due to lollipops having been shoved in. They paused, their eyes wide and resembling deer caught in headlights once they noticed that they were being watched. "Perhaps when Ms. Moreaux has decided on her snack of choice she would be willing to divulge with us her abilities," he added with a raised eyebrow at the display.

Sage made a show of using her tongue to shift the lollipop to the side of her mouth before answering with a simple, "I can freeze stuff."

Cisco's mouth fell open and he lifted his hands out of the bag, as if his mind had just been blown in that instant. "Wait. You can _freeze_ stuff? Oh, this is cool. This is really cool," Cisco commented, removing a lollipop from his mouth. He held it in front of her face. "So…if you touched this right now?"

"It'd be a popsicle," Sage replied. A second later she smiled and then burst out laughing at her unintentional joke. Cisco's laugh mixed in with hers. Barry, Harrison, and Caitlin all stood by as they waited for their laughter to stop. "Get it? Popsicle? Because it's a lollipop and it would…" Sage's words trailed off as she looked at their faces. "Wow, tough crowd."

"Would you be willing to demonstrate your abilities for us, Ms. Moreaux?" Harrison asked. "So we can run some tests."

Sage shrugged and nodded her head. She bit the tip of her glove and pulled until it slid off her hand. She flexed her fingers and then looked around for something to touch. Spotting a coffee mug on the desk she leaned over to peer into it. She then touched her finger against the side of the ceramic mug. A second later a crackling sound filled the air and the composition of the coffee inside of it turned into a solid block of ice.

"Cool," Cisco uttered, picking up the mug. "Pun intended. Frozen solid in under a second."

"And this happens anytime you touch anything?" Caitlin asked. "There's no delay? It's just instantaneous."

"As far as I know," Sage replied, stretching the hem of the glove as she wiggled her fingers inside of it.

"And your gloves are not only a layer of protection from others but for yourself as well, I presume," Harrison added, rubbing his chin.

"Hey, yeah, how do you shower?" Cisco asked. Harrison cut his eyes over at the young scientist and red pooled into his cheeks only a second later as realization hit him. "Oh! Wow! Sorry, I uh…I wasn't even…that is to say, I wasn't…" Cisco stammered, waving his hands in the air as an amused expression crossed Sage's face. "Yeah, I'm just gonna shut up now," he muttered, shoving his lollipop back into his mouth.

"I mean…it is a bit of a valid question," Caitlin muttered. "A bit perverse, yes, but…"

"I get it," Sage replied. "You're scientists, you're supposed to be asking…hypothetical questions and stuff. And to answer that question, I use latex gloves."

Caitlin drummed her fingers against her chin, digesting the explanation whereas Cisco looked as if he had a million more questions to ask but couldn't decide on which one to start. Harrison stared long and hard at the coffee mug in his hands. He turned it upside-down and allowed the solidified coffee cube slid into his palm.

"So this is where you disappear to?" Barry glanced at Sage. "And why you've been acting weird," she continued.

"Uh, yeah," Barry replied. "I've been coming here. Like I said before, they're trying to see what it is I can do. And they help me when I go out and save people in the city."

Sage made a noise behind her closed mouth. She clicked her tongue and began pacing, letting her eye scan the setup of the room. He could tell by the slight crease in her forehead that she was trying to comprehend what was going on but it was going over her head. She held her arms across her chest and kicked her feet against the floor.

"You okay?" Barry asked. He began to reach out for her but then stopped. His hand hung in the air for a second before he dropped his arm. It slapped against his side. The lonely sound was louder than he remembered.

"Oh yeah. Just…trying to take this all in," she replied. She shoved her hands into her back pockets and began to rock back and forth on her feet. "I am interested in seeing this suit of yours, though."

"Oh, wait until you see. It's a beauty!" Cisco said, rushing over to the cabinet that held the suit. He opened it with a flourish and motioned to it with his hand as if he were Vanna White. "It's made of a reinforced tripolymer to keep him from succumbing to friction when he runs at high speeds. It's also aerodynamic and fitted with sensors for his vitals and radio frequencies for us to contact him with."

"Nice stitching," Sage muttered, approaching the dummy it was fitted to. Her head tilted this way and that as she peered at the way the suit was held together. "No popped seams. No dropped stitches. No snags. Clean lines. I'm impressed." She nodded. "Did you do this yourself?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking maybe firefighters could use it," he replied, playing with his hand as a bashful smile appeared on his face, "But Barry gets better use out of it, of course."

"So…do I get to see you use it?" Sage asked.

"All in due time," Harrison spoke up, gathering their attention. He wheeled himself over to where they stood. "For now we should get started on those tests. After all, it's not every day we have a Metahuman in here that is on our side. It will give us all a better understand of what happened with the particle accelerator. And perhaps…" his eyes flickered over to Caitlin for a second before he finished his sentence, "a little bit of closure." Caitlin looked down at her shoes. Harrison cleared his throat and tilted his head. "If you would follow me, please."

"First, I'd like to talk to her," Barry spoke up. Harrison nodded and motioned for Caitlin and Cisco to follow him. Barry waited for the click-clack of Caitlin's heels to move further away from them before he spoke, although he still kept his voice low as he looked over at Sage. "This is a lot to absorb, I know. You don't have to answer their questions if you don't want to. You don't have to be involved."

Sage's eyebrows crinkled as she studied him. The way she was looking at him made his muscles tense. Finally she parted her lips and said, "I'm already involved. I know what's going on. I'm a part of all this. I was involved…when I woke up in the hospital and swaddled in heating pads and thick blankets to keep my body temp up."

"I know," Barry admitted. "It's just…things can get a little intense around here. If you ever overexerted or feel a little in over your head—"

"Barry, I'm twenty-one. I'm not the same seven-year-old that followed you and Iris around begging for attention." She paused and then added, "I can take care of myself. I have been for a while. I want to help. Please?"

Pressing his lips together, Barry nodded his head. Sage echoed his nod and walked over to where Caitlin was standing by a chair, prepping it. He watched as she sat down and nodded her head every now and then when Caitlin asked her a question while sticking medical electrodes to her forehead. He crossed his arms as Sage took out her phone, briefly glanced at the screen, jabbed her thumb on something on the screen and then set it aside. The little nagging voice in the back of his head was silenced the moment Harrison asked him how he was feeling and they switched over to "Metahuman" mode.

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- And now Sage has met the rest of the Flash crew. I can already tell I'm going to have fun writing Sage and Cisco in scenes together. Heck, I can't wait to write more scenes with S.T.A.R. Labs in general and discover how she interacts with all of them. What did you think of the chapter? Please read and review. Also what did you think of Tuesday's Flash ep? Drunk Caitlin was a highlight for me.

_**Review Replies**_

_guest27_ \- Maybe he will, maybe he won't. I have many plans when it comes to the romantic side of this story with many ships, almost ships, and teasing ships coming into play. There will be a little bit of everything. Maybe even some Barry/OC but you'll have to wait and see. ;)

_Guest_ \- That's alright! People like certain ships and don't like certain ships, and that's okay. While Harrison/Caitlin is one of the many that will appear, the romance aspect of this story will not eclipse the story that I'm telling so I hope that does not deter you from continuing to read TMOS.

_babyj_ \- When I got your review I almost laughed out loud because it was like you had read my mind. I was going to start going back and forth between Sage and Barry's (and maybe some other characters') points of view but I wanted to establish Sage first. Thanks for being so patient with me in the meantime.


	7. Just Like Old Times

**_Chapter 6_**

**_Just Like Old Times_**

Even though Barry had all the time in the world—sometimes he felt he had the world at his fingertips—he still felt as if he was moving slowly. He could wake up whenever he wanted and still get to work on time (relatively on time, if he were to be honest with himself), if he ever wanted to go to the gym and get in a good work out he could squeeze an hour's worth of work into a mere minute, forensic tests were conducted in, well, a _flash_. He could even take detours of sorts and stop petty thefts or small disturbances in the world before anyone could blink. He was special. He was a new Barry Allen. And yet the old Barry Allen still had a strong grip on him.

Putting his pencil down, he pushed a breath out of his nose and rubbed at his burning eyes. His lanky form relaxed in his chair, as if his bones had been removed and the rest of him was tossed aside to its final resting place.

It was times like these, when everything slowed down that his day finally caught up with him and slammed into him, rattling his brain. It pressed a heavy weight on his shoulders and kept him immobile more than the rest of his day did.

His thoughts would constantly turn to his father as he wondered if it was even worth trying to bust him out of jail. They could just…run away forever and assume new identities like his father always suggested that he take. And when he wasn't thinking of his father he was thinking of his mother. Would she be proud of him? Would she support what he's doing? Would she be able to handle the truth of him being what he is? Would she try to stop him? Was he doing the right thing? Making the right decision? The questions flew by so fast none of them could stick for more than three seconds.

His loud sigh bounced around the large room of his office. His eyes shifted around the room as he took in the vast space. It never occurred to him how empty it was before. There were racks and racks of chemicals and testing equipment strewn around the room as well as scattered papers and Big Belly Burger wrappers and other little trinkets that helped him feel sane as compared to what the past couple of days could bring.

With a groan—coming from both Barry and the chair—he placed his hands on his knees and stood, stretching his long arms behind his back. He sighed in relief at the pops in his spine and then rubbed his face again. He had turned over to his string chart to survey the information again when he heard the door to his office open. He shot out his arm and yanked the cover down just as Iris and Joe sauntered in.

"What's up?" Barry asked, noting the smiles on their faces.

"You've been cooped up in here too long, Barry, so grab your stuff. We're having a night out at Big Belly Burger. Just like old times." Iris announced. Barry noticed the pep in her step and the smile that sat on her face which made his knees weak. She always had a nice smile.

"Just like old times?" Barry repeated, looking between the two. He crossed his arms and tried to look stern but he couldn't hold his face. "So that means you're going to steal my fries and then complain later about gaining weight from them when really you don't need to worry about that because you look…perfect."

"Aww," Iris cooed. "Look who's sweet. But what can I say? I just can't help myself when it comes to their fries. They're so _addicting_."

"Like those cronuts at Jitters?"

"Better than that."

Barry laughed at Iris's enthusiasm and shook his head. Turning back, he grabbed his jacket and pulled it on. "So, if this is like old times, does that mean you're paying?" he asked Joe.

"You two have your own jobs, I'm not made of money," Joe replied.

"Yeah, but it would be awfully irresponsible of me to spend the entirety of my paycheck on a fast food chain, wouldn't it?" Iris asked, pushing her father's arm. "And you always wanted me to be a responsible adult."

"Nice guilt trip," Barry commented. His smile faded when he saw the unimpressed look on Joe's face. "I mean…" he paused to try and find an excuse but nothing stuck. Shrugging he said, "Sorry, Joe, she has a point. And if we're reliving the past and everything…"

"Yeah, yeah," Joe replied, a deep laugh rumbling in his chest. He outstretched his arm, motioning for Barry to walk ahead of him.

Iris looped her arm with Barry's and leaned into his side, smiling up at him. "You know, I think this is the first time all week we've been able to hang out," she pointed out. "What with your police work and you disappearing and all. Beginning to think you don't want to be friends with me anymore."

"What? Uh, no! That's not it all!" Barry cried out, looking at Joe over his shoulder. Joe shrugged and lifted his eyebrows. Barry sighed and shook his head. Joe was no help. "It's just been…busy around here. With the strange…things going on around here."

"I know! I wanted to talk to you about that!" Iris's grip on Barry's shoulder tightened as they descended the stairs of the precinct. Her brown eyes sparkled in excitement as she looked up at her oldest friend. "There are so many reports going around about this…thing saving people. A red streak or blur or…something. Isn't that weird?"

"A…bit, yeah," Barry replied, feeling his stomach twist into a knot. His mind whirled. How was anyone able to see him? He was moving fast. _Really_ fast. Shouldn't that have made him invisible to the naked eye? Of course wearing a red suit probably didn't help matters _that_ much but he had been moving so fast, he thought… "But, I mean, weird things are always going on, right?"

"Maybe, but there's been a few more after the thing exploded," Iris replied, waving her hand. "Increase in crime, strange occurrences. Unexplainable events. Like storms popping up out of nowhere and then that huge tornado destroying the two days ago?" She sighed. "Central City has always been an interesting city but this just takes the cake!"

"Your journalism senses are tingling, aren't they?" Barry asked.

"They are, Bare, they are. There's a story out there somewhere and I'm going to find it," Iris vowed.

Barry pushed a long sigh out of his nose. His fingers curled into fists in the pockets of his jacket. _Ugh, she had to _vow_!_ Barry's nose scrunched up. Iris was as stubborn as stubborn could be and he knew once her mind was set to something it wouldn't change. Throw in her journalistic prowess and she had tunnel vision. Which would only spell trouble for him.

He pressed his shoulder against the door to the precinct and led them out to the streets where he paused and took in a cleansing breath. He was happy that Iris couldn't hear his racing heart. Although he wasn't sure what was currently making his heart beat so fast: his powers, Iris holding onto him, or the idea that she was going to investigate further into the city's recent oddities. How was he going to keep his promise to Joe if she was trying to figure him out? He's seen firsthand how deeply researched her articles were. She didn't leave a rock unturned. If she really set her mind to it she could figure him out.

"Barry! Are you even listening to me?" Iris's voice cut into his thoughts. Barry blinked rapidly and looked down at Iris who rolled her eyes. "Nevermind, I know that look. You were off in your head again. Anything interesting in there? There has to be room for something other than that science junk."

"Hey, that science junk is what makes him the best in our forensics department," Joe cut in, throwing a proud wink Barry's way.

"But seriously! Have you met anyone? Made any new friends? …Read a new book?" Iris fished, laughing at her own question at the end. "What's going on in the life of Barry Allen, I feel so out of the loop!"

"Nothing…too interesting, really," Barry replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Made some new…friends, yeah," he replied, testing out the word on his tongue. It fit. It felt right. "I know we haven't been able to hang out that much but I'm glad we can do this now. I'm glad you two are making me come out." The sincerity of his words landed in his stomach in a way that used to make him feel horrible but instead left him feeling as if he was wrapped in a warm hug.

He did need this. To spend time with his second family. To see Iris's smile and hear her laugh and spend time with a man who became more to him than a second father in name but by actions as well. It made all of the previous weight on his shoulders slip away and his heavy heart become fitted with wings.

"Anything for our favorite Allen," Iris replied. "Now let's go get that burger!"

_**# # #**_

"McDonald's really needs to step up on their game if they want to compete with Big Belly," Iris commented before taking a bite of her Double Belly Bacon Burger. Her eyes closed briefly as the flavors exploded on her tongue and she sighed. "Man, I need to come back here more often."

Barry dipped a fry into his vanilla milkshake and chuckled as he took a bite of it. Iris's eyebrows lifted in silent questioning as she chewed her food. "Here, let me." He picked up a napkin on the table and reached out to dab at the blob of ketchup that hung by her mouth. "Yeah, just like old times," he teased, balling it up in his hand.

"Yeah, only _now_ I don't have to beg my dad for my space and independence and all those good teenage clichés," Iris agreed. She turned and waved at Joe who sat a few tables over in the food court. Chuckling, he waved back and resumed reading the newspaper he had brought with him. "It's great being able to hang out with you, Bare."

"Geeze, Iris, that's about the fifth time you said that," Barry pointed out. "Been feeling guilty?"

"A bit," Iris admitted. "Spending some much time at work or taking classes or being with Eddie…" her voice trailed off.

Barry pressed his lips together to fight himself from rolling his eyes at the mention of her boyfriend's name. He hoped that Eddie wouldn't be brought up. It pained him to see Iris being so happy about Eddie but, at the same time, it pained him that he didn't like that Iris was happy with someone else. What kind of friend was he? Taking in a breath he let it out while asking in a nonchalant manner, "What's Eddie up to tonight anyway? You two seem to spend a lot of time together." He took a sip of his milkshake to keep himself from talking more than he wanted to. Once he got on his rambling tangents he couldn't control what came out of his mouth.

"He's hanging out with Sage," Iris replied, dipping her french fries in the small container of ketchup. Barry yanked the straw out of his mouth as he sputtered and choked. "Easy, it's not that strange," Iris said with a laugh. "She's keeping him away so Dad doesn't catch on." She popped the fry into her mouth and chewed.

"How did you two get together anyway?" Barry asked, leaning back in his seat. "I mean…talking over coffee and my…unconscious body can only get so far." He clasped his hands together and rested them on his stomach, drumming his thumbs against his abdomen. The time it took for Iris to chew, swallow, and answer him felt as if centuries had gone by.

"It…I don't even really know how it started," Iris replied, her nose wrinkling a little as she thought. She made sure to keep her voice down just in case her father could overhear them. "We just started talking…it didn't go well at first. I knew Eddie as this…guy that my father built up. Someone that bragged about his records and was egotistical and had this…this _plan_ to show everyone what he was made of and that him taking Detective Chyre's place as Dad's new partner wasn't a fluke."

Barry grunted. The idea of Eddie taking Detective Chyre's place was as funny as it was ridiculous. Chyre was seasoned in his job and he took every case seriously instead of using it to boost his record. There had to be something about Eddie that Barry hadn't seen so far that made Iris fall for him because he just didn't get it from face value. He briefly pursed his lips and clicked his tongue, tuning back into Iris's explanation.

"…And so, one day he came into Jitters and I was working on my journalism homework and…unlike some others, he took it _seriously_, Barry. He asked me about my classes and my interests and…he didn't make me feel like he was talking down to me like some people do. He listened. He cared. And…and he was there for me when…when you couldn't be."

Barry held his breath between his lips as an ache shot through his chest. Images flashed though his mind of her sitting in a chair by his bedside, crying, waiting, wondering when he was going to wake up or if he ever was. Images that once used to make a smile appear on his face now soured his stomach when Eddie infiltrated them. Bringing her coffee, holding her as she wept, stroking her hair, _comforting_ her. That's _his_ job.

"Are you doing okay, Barry?" Iris asked. "I mean really. It must be weird sleeping through nine months of your life, basically. Waking up and everything being different."

"Not everything's different," Barry replied, lifting and dropping his hand. He rubbed his palm on his knee. "My dad's still in jail. I still have my job. My mom's still dead—"

"Barry!" Iris admonished.

"—you're still my best friend," he finished, holding her gaze. Her once stern expression softened as a smile blossomed on his face. "I'm glad that's still the same. That I still have you."

"Aww." Iris reached out and grasped his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. "I'm glad I still have you too. My life just wouldn't be complete without Barry Allen."

As usual Barry locked Iris's words away in a safe that was nestled deep within in his heart. Oh how he wished she could mean it—_really _mean it—when she talked to him like that. That her words were filled with more love than just the platonic sort that wrapped around her sweet confessions. Spending time with her, talking with her, laughing with her, it was all bittersweet but it was a bittersweet that he would rather suffer through than live without.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go to the ladies room and check that Sage didn't kill Eddie," Iris announced as she stood, sliding her purse over her shoulder. She started to walk away from the table only to reach over Barry's shoulder and grab a few French fries out of his cup.

"Hey! Hands off!" he cried out, slapping her hand away but she was too quick for him, spinning away from him.

"Have to move faster than that, Barry," she teased, winking at him.

His cheeks hurt from how hard he was smiling as she watched her walking away with her usual pep in her step. He ran a hand through his hair and turned back in his chair only to jump when he saw Joe now sitting in the space that Iris was just occupying. "Whoa! Now I know why you're a detective," Barry muttered, his eyes blinking in a rapid manner. "You know, you could have eaten with us."

"You two needed some time to catch up," Joe replied. "You and I have all the time in the world for that. Iris needed it more than I did. You haven't seen her for the past few months."

"Yeah," Barry sighed, "I'm, uh, I'm beginning to get a better idea of that." He tapped one of his fingers on the table and looked around the sparsely populated mall. In fact he was surprised that it was still open that late. "Anything good?" he asked, lifting his chin at the newspaper.

"Just some people reporting about this red streak that's going around," Joe replied, tapping the newspaper against his palm. "Saving cats from trees and people from busy streets."

Barry shrugged. "I need something to do while I wait," he explained. "And Wells thinks it's good practice for my speed." Joe hummed which made Barry's eyebrows crinkle. "What?"

"How much can you trust this guy, Barry?" Joe asked. "He's the one that…that did this to you."

"An accident is what did this to me," Barry clarified, sitting up straight. "He and the others are trying to help me. They feel responsible and they just want to make the whole thing right. They didn't know it was going to explode and do all this, Joe. No one did."

"Fair enough but…just keep your eyes open, okay?" Joe said. "Dr. Wells isn't exactly the most popular person in Central City anymore. He could be up to anything to try and get his name back."

"If I were him, I think I'd be trying to get my name back too," Barry admitted. "He lost the use of his legs. If getting his business back is his goal who am I to stand in his way?"

"And who are _you_ to stand in my way when I want your fries?" Iris asked, picking Barry's carton off the table. The once serious expression on Barry's face shifted to one of pure amusement as he looked up at Iris. He ignored the look Joe was sending his way and put his focus on his best friend.

"How many times do I have to tell you, hands off?" Barry laughed, getting to his feet.

"A million," Iris shot back, sticking out her tongue, backing away from him. "What are you going to do, Barry? Chase me?"

"Maybe," Barry replied with a confident smile. "I've gotten a bit faster over the years."

_**# # #**_

Steel blue eyes darted back and forth as it absorbed the lines of the news story. When the story was read through the first time the eyes jumped back to the beginning paragraph and started again. And again and again and again. They took in every word, every sentence, every paragraph of the old reported "accident". One that had fallen into the wayside over the past few months, slipped into obscurity to the rest of the world. But not to that lone man. He rubbed a hand over his chin as he stared down at the paper and the peculiar story he just couldn't get out of his mind. It was too odd to be forgotten and, perhaps, a bit informative and helpful as well.

But, for now, he needed it to help him plan.

**_The Central City Citizen_**

**Man Found Frozen in Alley**

(CENTRAL CITY, Mo.) _Emergency medical personnel were summoned to the 500 block of 2nd street in Central City yesterday morning due to reports of an unidentified man being found by a local dog walker. Emergency responders on the scene tried in vain to aid the unresponsive man who is believed to have perished overnight._

_Previous reports indicate that the primary cause of death was a heart attack and the freezing temperatures. Autopsy reports now show that no foul play was involved and the man seemed to have passed due, in strange circumstances, to being frozen from the inside out. His organs were preserved and will be donated to those in need. Police are not releasing his name at this time._


	8. Masquerade

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Masquerade**_

Barry glanced at his watch and shook his head. Did everyone else feel this sense of disgruntled energy when he kept them waiting? He made a mental note to try harder to get places on time but, come on, when he could run nearly as fast as the speed of sound what was the point of taking the time to get ready when he could literally wait until the last minute? He looked at his watch again and then smiled a smug smile when Sage finally walked through the front door of S.T.A.R. Labs.

After bringing Sage around the group for the first time, she had found any time she could to go back to the Lab for more tests and to observe what it was exactly that they did there. More often than not she would sit off to the side and wait and listen to them go over their "scientific mumbo jumbo", as she put it. He was surprised she was so patient about it all, not missing the way she fidgeted and shook as time went by and his abilities were tested but day after day she came back and it was nice to have someone around, someone like him, to go through this with.

"What took you so long?" he teased, pushing his lanky frame away from the wall he had been leaning against. "I gave you a head start and I even took the long way to get here."

"Keep bragging, Running Man," Sage replied, fixing her helmet hair with her fingers. She knocked his arm with her shoulder as she walked past him and smirked. "You may be fast on your feet but that doesn't excuse all the times you've been late."

"Maybe not but you can't be mad at a guy who gets you Big Belly Burger," Barry said, pulling the bag out from behind his back as he fell into step with her. "It's your favorite. Bacon Chili." He swung the bag in the air above her nose and then yanked it away when she reached up for it. "Am I forgiven?"

"Yeah, yeah. Give it here!" Sage replied, jumping up for the bag. Barry laughed and relented, giving her the bag. She nearly ripped it out of his hands to get to the food inside. Her face was stuffed and cheeks puffed out due to the amount of food by the time they walked into the lab where Cisco was spinning around in a swivel chair. A lollipop stick hung from the corner of his mouth. "'Ey 'Is'o," Sage greeted him with a full mouth.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Cisco asked, dragging his feet along the ground to keep from spinning. He pressed his hands to the side of his head and blinked a couple of times.

"Sage has been begging me to see what the suit and I can do. So I decided to humor her," Barry replied.

"Yes!" Cisco said, clapping his hands together. "Oh, yes! Brilliant idea!" He whirled around in his chair and turned on the computers that were laid out in front of him. Sage took one of the empty seats and continued eating as Barry stood behind Cisco, looking at the screens. "But maybe we shouldn't," he said, stopping himself. "Dr. Wells wants to study you some more. What happens if you spontaneously combust due to all the friction?"

"That'd be an interesting way to go," Sage spoke up. "He'd probably explode in red. Oh! He'd be like a _firework!_" She extended her fingers in a flourish as she made the noise of a firework exploding, "_Boom!_"

"Nothing's happened to me so far," Barry reasoned, "and we can use this as an. . .experiment of sorts. To watch my levels and see how well I do under stress and see how fast I can go." He nudged Cisco's shoulder. "Scientists need to do lots of experiments, right?"

As much as he tried to fight it a slow smile appeared on Cisco's face until he was left grinning with excitement. "Okay! Just a few tests and then you come right back here, alright?" Cisco replied, turning back to the computer.

"Are you that afraid of Wells?" Sage asked.

"Not Dr. Wells, Caitlin," Cisco replied. "You do not want to get on her bad side. Believe me. I dunno how Ronnie wasn't afraid of her…" his voice trailed off and then he gave his head a shake. He cleared his throat and pointed to the computer screen. "Anyway, with this mapping application we can track your every move and be alerted to troubles that arise. For example…" Cisco's eyebrows knitted together when he noticed a blip on screen. "Well, you're in luck we have a—"

"215!" Sage interrupted. Her hazel brown eyes lifted to Barry as they said in unison, "Carjacking."

Papers flew off of the desk due to Barry's speed as he came to a screeching halt in the room after having changed into his scarlet uniform. Sage had to fix her hair again due to the wind that Barry created and once she moved aside the curtain of her hair her eyes nearly popped out of her head at the sight of him. Her lips bounced up and down at the corners as she tried to settle on a facial expression before finally letting a snort pass through her lips.

"It looks good, really it does," she said while waving her hand at the look Cisco shot her way. "It's very…slimming. Not that you need the help in that area, Barry Beanstalk," she added, nodding at his thin and lanky frame that was now highlighted due to the tight suit he donned.

"Are you going to make fun of me or are you going to watch me do my thang?" Barry asked while shaking out his limbs. Cisco snorted around his lollypop and shook his head.

"So long as you don't say 'thang' again," Sage replied, adding in a snap at the end for emphasis. Barry laughed and in the time it took for them to blink he disappeared. "But that doesn't mean I won't make fun of you," she muttered in a sing-song voice once the papers in the room settled again. She slid her chair over so she and Cisco were huddled around a computer. "So we can see him on this screen?"

"Yeah. That fast moving dot right there is Barry." Cisco pointed at the screen and they both watched in concentrated silence as it steadily moved across the mapping layout of the city in front of them. "Wait, wasn't he supposed to stop here?" Sage asked, pointing to the pulsating dot on the screen that Barry's speeding dot had passed.

"Yeahhhhh," Cisco replied, leaning back in his chair, locking his fingers behind his head. "Barry has a problem with braking. He can run really fast but then more often than not he'll miss his target."

"You didn't make him shoes that can help him stop on a dime?" Sage asked, her eyebrows lifting. "C'mon, that's, like, rule number one! They'd think of this in superhero comics. It can't be too hard, right? You'd need shoes with good traction and frictoin or something? Right?" She paused and then a moment later she groaned and held her head in her hands. "Ugh! Now I'm sounding like _him!_"

Cisco laughed and spun around in his chair, using the motion to help him stand. He hurried out of the room and Sage used her feet to turn her left and right while stuffing fries into her mouth and watched Barry's blip still moving along the streets. It must be cool, running that fast. Feeling the wind tugging at you and everything moving by in a blur and getting to places in the time span it took for someone to stand up. She couldn't even conjure up any sort of thought that could rightfully paint any sort of picture of whatever it was he was experiencing.

"No, Barry, you missed it by a mile," Cisco was saying as he walked back into the room. An earpiece sat in his left ear and he held a tablet in his hand. In his other fist was an assortment of lollipops. At the sight of the candy, Sage abandoned her fries and jumped up to see which one she wanted. She settled for a Sour Apple Blowpop.

"Ugh! Sorry! What's the fastest route from here?" Barry's voice filtered in through the speakers set up on the tabletop.

"Uhhh…take a left and then five streets down a right and then just run until you get there. You'll meet up with them in no time," Cisco replied, quickly scanning the map that was up on the computer.

"I'm on it!" Barry replied.

Sage and Cisco watched in silence as the blinking dot that was Barry stopped moving and then went back in the other direction. The only sound in the room came from Barry's rapid heavy breathing that filtered in through the speakers.

The two jumped at the sound of metal crunching and bending and tires squealing. Sage's eyes widened and her heart hammered in her chest. Was Barry okay? Was he hurt? Did something happen? All of her questions and the fears that moved rapidly through her mind stopped the minute static crackled through the speaker.

"Okay, the robbers have been caught," Barry spoke through the speaker. "Although…the owner of the car _may_ want to get the hood checked out."

"You may want to get your brakes checked out, more like," Sage replied.

Barry ignored her comment. "Come on, I'm just stretching my legs. Anything else to hit?"

"Check that police scanner," Cisco said, pointing to the computer to Sage's left.

Clutching the lollipop between her teeth, she turned to the computer he had been pointing at. She grimaced for a second when she saw the setup. It was much more advanced than she was used to working with. She only dealt with old Dell Desktops at work and a decent HP laptop that was passed on from Iris. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and her eyebrows knitted together as she stared at the screen.

"Cisco…?" she half turned in her chair and turned pleading eyes over to him. Chuckling, he leaned over and went through a series of button pressing until the application came up on the screen. "Thanks." She leaned forward and scanned the application. "Uh…we got a 211 at the jewelry store at the corner of Lincoln and Cherry. Be careful, you don't know what kind of guns they have."

"If I'm faster than a train, I have to be faster than a speeding bullet," Barry commented.

"We don't know the full extent of your abilities yet, Barry. Might not want to risk it," Cisco jumped in.

"I'll be fine guys, really. Just watch me."

"You know…it would be kind of cool if he could do it," Cisco said slowly, twiddling a pencil between his fingers. He lifted his eyebrows and looked over at Sage. Any attempts at trying to be serious didn't work as her face split into a wide smile that he matched.

After that it snowballed. Every time Barry finished a "mission" Cisco would send him on another one. Barry took care of petty thefts, purse snatching, reckless driving, drug pushing, and assault before he was sent on a bigger mission. A fire had broken out in an apartment building on Western and 3rd and the firemen assigned to the area were running into traffic.

"Ooh! I can help on this one," Sage spoke up. "I can take some of the fire out." She nearly trembled in excitement. It was perfect! After all, what other way was there to gather information other than to run experiments? And seeing how she held up in a burning building would be the best experiment to conduct, she thought. It made sense, even.

"Sage, you wouldn't be able to make it here on time," Barry pointed out. "And what would protect you from the flames and smoke? And anyway, it's known that the makeup of ice wouldn't stand a chance against fire. It melts, remember?"

"I could freeze some of the joints to help keep the building up. Doesn't it get weak if flames have been attacking it for too long?" Sage asked. "I can help, really!" She insisted.

"It's best if you stay there. Let me handle this. I know what I'm doing."

Sage bristled and sat up straighter in her chair. "And I don't?" she huffed, crossing her arms, even though he couldn't see her. Her cheeks puffed up as she pressed her lips together. Who was he to say what she could and couldn't do? Okay, maybe he was right in that she wouldn't get there as fast as him but on her bike she could move through traffic much faster than a big fire truck could. And _maybe_ she wasn't fully in control of what she was doing, still finding computer keys sticking to her fingers if she even attempted using the computer without her gloves. She gave the term "computer freeze" a whole new definition.

"I don't have time to argue about this. You're better off staying there. Trust me." Sage didn't even try to protest. When Barry spoke like that—like his words had grown hands that were physically forcing her into her seat—she knew there was no sense in arguing with him. His mind had been made and once Barry Allen made up his mind it was nearly impossible to change.

So she sat back and turned this way and that in her swivel chair while watching the screen, silently cursing Barry Allen with every word under the sun she could think of. She could be an asset. She could be his sidekick if he needed one. She shouldn't need his permission and yet, there he was basically drawing a line separating her from the action. She could _help_. Why be at S.T.A.R. Labs if that wasn't the point? To find a way for her to help?

She furiously sucked on her blowpop, ignoring the sting in her tongue due to cutting it on the sharp bits of candy in the cracked surface. The sour apple taste hurt the sides of her face every now and then but it was a pain she welcomed rather than the pain that someone else inflicted upon her. Yes, perhaps she was being a bit overdramatic. After all, it wasn't a bad thing that someone was looking out for her but still! Was it so bad she wanted her chance to do some good? She sure as heck wouldn't overshoot her targets.

"Are you there yet?" Cisco asked while pushing a key on a nearby keyboard to bring up a picture of the apartment building in question.

"It's_ Barry_. He doesn't get anywhere on time," Sage replied, pulling the lollipop out of her mouth to use it to gesture around.

"What are you doing?" Caitlin's suspicious question made Sage freeze in her chair. Cisco, in comparison, whirled around in his chair and turned off the screens that were displaying Barry's location and the map of the city. She sat still through Caitlin's interrogation, hoping that somehow if she stayed still long enough that maybe Caitlin wouldn't notice her. But even she couldn't help but cringe at Cisco's horrible attempts at lying. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see right through him and it took Caitlin only a few seconds to see through his ruse and call Barry back to the lab.

"What's the big deal?" Sage asked, shoving her lollipop back into her mouth, moving the candy to the side with her tongue. "We're just trying to help people out. Make the place safer. And…and test out Barry's powers."

"We don't know if his powers are temporary or if he'll come crashing down soon," Caitlin pointed out, standing at her full height as she stepped away from the computer desk. "We don't know what will happen to him. And for you two to have him out there like that is irresponsible. Something could have gone wrong."

"But nothing did," Sage reasoned. "Everyone's okay because of him. Barry's okay too." At that moment she felt her hair fly forward due to the sudden wind of Barry coming into the room. "See? He's fine," she said, pointing at him over her shoulder.

"Who do you guys think you are?" Caitlin asked, exasperation wrapped around her words as she paced through the lab.

"I'm the eyes and ears and he's the feet," Cisco replied.

"And I'm just the chick that hangs around and eats candy," Sage added, removing the lollipop from her mouth and waved it in the air.

"Cute," Caitlin said. Sage didn't miss the dismissive tone to her voice so she slumped in her chair, feeling peculiarly like her five-year-old self again. _Note to self: Don't ever bother Caitlin._ And she followed that note to herself as Caitlin and Barry argued back and forth about him using his powers for good vs only using it to contain metahumans. Eventually Wells was brought into the argument, surprising them all for they had not even heard him come into the room.

There was something about the way Wells spoke that demanded everyone's attention and respect in such a way Sage had never seen before. It was different with Joe and Barry and her dad. Joe could use his police no nonsense tone of voice to get people in line. It was what he was used to. Barry went for the nice guy approach, the one where you want to hear what he has to say because he's passionate and zealous about it. They made her father look like a monster of the night in comparison. Her father had a very strict, no-ifs-ands-or-buts way of speaking to everyone and when it was directed at _her_ it made her want to curl into a ball and hide, an everyday occurrence at the Moreaux house.

Dr. Wells, in comparison, had a very calculated and clipped way of speaking that cut straight down to the core of it that made Sage listen to him with rapt attention. She could see on Barry's face as Wells spoke that he was getting frustrated having to be held back. Having Caitlin telling him not to go too hard was one thing, but his idol telling him? That was something completely different. Maybe if Beyoncé ever spoke to Sage the same way she'd end up as crushed as Barry was at the moment.

"You two are the only ones, the only Metahumans, around that we can see what lengths the particle accelerator went to to change your very own molecular makeup," Harrison commented after a moment of silence, sliding his blue eyes from Sage to Barry. "We cannot do that if you push past your limits and put yourself in danger. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Barry grumbled.

"And Cisco, I'm a bit surprised at you," Harrison added, turning his chair around to face Cisco. "I understand the excitement surrounding Barry and his abilities but this isn't a game. We are dealing with a delicate situation and we must go forward accordingly."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Cisco muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "It won't happen again, Dr. Wells."

"I should hope not," Harrison replied. Cisco appeared to shrink beneath Harrison's stern gaze, like a punished child. Harrison saved Cisco from his intense stare and then changed it over to Sage. "Now, Ms. Moreaux, if you have the time I would like to see some more of your abilities. Dr. Snow, if you could watch and record any enigmas and compare it to the information gathered yesterday."

"Of course, Dr. Wells," Caitlin replied with a nod of her head. Giving the sheepish trio one last withering look, she stalked off; her heels clacking on the floor along the way.

"Do I get to go out and fight some crime too?" Sage asked while getting to her feet. "Do I get my own suit? I was thinking, red's good for Barry but I think blue would look better on me. Arrow's already got the green market covered and we need something a little lighter—"

"Now is not the time to think about heroics," Harrison told her, stopping his wheelchair in his tracks. He laced his fingers together and folded his palms across his stomach. "From what we have seen so far you have a long way to go when it comes to controlling your abilities. Thinking about using them to the same extent of Barry is not your end goal right now. Containing and controlling. That is your main objective. You'd like to be able to not have to wear your gloves anymore and to be able to touch anything without the fear of harming it, yes?" With a sheepish expression and reddening cheeks, Sage nodded.

Harrison wheeled himself out of the room, heading away from where Caitlin had disappeared to. Every now and then he glanced over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. Thankfully he wasn't. He took the elevator up to a higher level of the lab, a restricted section of sorts. The elevator dinged, signaling that he had reached the desired floor. Putting pressure on the joystick attached to the right armrest, Harrison wheeled himself forward, navigating the halls until he stopped in front of a blank wall.

He placed his hand on a section of the wall and before him it slid open, revealing a door. Harrison easily navigated his way past the door and through a force field of sorts without any hesitancy. The walls opened once more to reveal a futuristic room lit up by a bright white light. With a smirk stretching across his face, Harrison placed his weight on the arms of his wheelchair and got to his feet. He paused to take off his glasses and set them on the seat he once occupied.

"Gideon, the usual please," Harrison addressed the face being projected on the wall.

"Or course, Dr. Wells," Gideon replied.

A second later a projection of a newspaper popped up in Harrison's face. The date read April 24th 2024. Harrison's eyes jumped from headline to headline on the paper, most importantly the biggest one on the page: _FLASH MISSING VANISHES IN CRISIS._

"Everything appears in order," Harrison muttered. He lifted his hand and held it above the newspaper. Moving his hand from one side to the other, the newspaper changed to one of a different date. 2015. Like the last newspaper, the headlines on this one jumped out at Harrison and made him smile: _HISTORIC BLIZZARD BATTERS CENTRAL CITY_. Keywords jumped out from the newspaper article; death tolls, damage prices, record-low temperatures, power outages, snow drifts, bitter cold, high wind, wind chill, and stalled city. "Good. So long as we stay the course everything will work out the way it needs to."

**_# # #_**

"Your previous trial displayed better results than this one," Harrison announced, turning away from the computer he had been looking at to gauge readings. "Do it again. You're losing focus."

"Probably because I've done this a thousand times," Sage muttered under her breath, flexing her fingers. She kicked at the ground, her boots scuffing against the shiny floor. She pulled a face and then twisted the tip of her shoe this way and that to erase the mark. She ran the back of her hand against her forehead to brush away the beads of sweat that had gathered on her hairline.

She shook out her hands and feet and blew out one long breath. Her eyes locked on with the target that had been set up in the distance. It was a crude thing, a simple piece of poster board sitting atop of a fold-up display tripod. It made her feel like she was back in class a little. But this was better than sitting around in a dusty classroom with biology facts being drilled into her head, even though in both cases she was still being told what to do and when to do it.

"Just think about turning that bull's-eye into a giant ice sculpture," Cisco said.

Sage shot him a look and then looked around the area of the makeshift bulls'eye where slick spots littered the floor like black ice on asphalt. Sighing, she shook out her hands again and then focused on the "target" in front of her. She held her hands out, palms flat and waited. She pressed her lips together and held her breath as the seconds ticked by.

The sound of her heart beat pulsed like a ticking clock in the quiet room. Her fingertips tingled and a sense of cold spread from her fingertips to the length of her fingers and flooded her palms. A blue glow wrapped around her hands and she gritted her teeth, feeling her heart pound against her chest. The once steady beats had begun to slow over time but she ignored it in favor of putting all of her attention on the exercise.

A beam of bright blue light shot out from between her hands. Like last time the force of it was enough to make her go sliding backwards but she didn't fall over this time. She managed to keep her balance by bending her knees and digging the heels of her boots into the linoleum. But the ice blast was still off kilter and struck the wall behind the target.

"Darn," Sage muttered, dropping her hands. "Missed again."

Harrison sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "There is no sense in having you exert yourself. Your arms were shaky and your aim was off as a result. You're only getting worse. That's enough for today."

_What?_ Her head jerked up, her mouth dropping open in surprise. That couldn't be it! She could do more, she knew she could. She could do better. She had to do better. "No! Come on! I can do it," Sage protested. "I'm just…I'm just nervous. Let me try again. Please."

"You've had twenty trials already," Caitlin pointed out. "They've all ended with the same result," she added, looking at the clipboard tucked into her elbow. "And besides, don't you need to get to school?"

"School?" Sage repeated, her head tilting much like a curious dog's would. A few seconds ticked by and then her chest inhaled with her sharp gasp. "Oh God! I still have school!" She nearly brought her hands up to her face in her distress but stopped herself, appearing as if she were about to slap herself before changing her mind. Ignoring Cisco's comment of her potentially "spending too much time with Barry", she grabbed her gloves off the nearby table and shoved her hands into them. "So, uh, about the suit and everything—"

"All in due time, Ms. Moreaux," Harrison said, a distinct dismissive tone to his words. He peered at her from overtop of his glasses. "All in due time."

Sage's shoulders slumped. She was getting tired of having stop signs held in her face and hearing those four words. But this was Harrison Wells she was talking to so he must know what he was talking about. He didn't seem like the sort that just liked to hear himself speak. "Okay, fine," she sighed.

"If you could find time to come back in tomorrow I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that we would appreciate it," he continued, directing his attention to a piece of paper he flipped over to read. She paused. As if sensing her looking at him he added, "Research opportunities like this don't come around every day, after all. It's a good opportunity to get a better understanding of the human body and its evolution through extraordinary circumstances. We cannot take this lightly."

The slight tension in the room was broken when Sage yanked on one of the electrodes stuck to her and released a loud yelp at the pain coming from it. Cisco covered his smile with his hand, partially so Sage wouldn't see him laughing at her expense and partially to keep Caitlin from throwing that admonishing look his way that she had perfected long ago.

Bidding the group of scientists goodbye, Sage walked out of the laboratory. She only made it a few paces past the doorway when she had to rest her weight on the wall to keep herself up. Her fingers scrabbled against the smooth surface of the wall for anything to hold onto. Her free hand grabbed at her chest as she felt her heartbeat slow deep within her chest. Her knees knocked and her legs wobbled as she gasped for air. She did her best to slow her breathing to aid her heartbeat but it felt as if a vice was slowly pressing down on her neck, cutting off her airway.

She tried to take in deep, slow breaths to keep herself somewhat calm but these attacks, no matter how often she had them, they left her as a trembling ball of fear. This time being no exception. Both hands pressed against the cool flooring beneath her now to keep her up, her legs gave way not too long after the 'attack' first started.

Gritting her teeth, she reached forward and dragged herself across the floor. Her legs, useless as they were, slowed her down. She breathed ragged breaths as she pulled herself steadily along the floor. Little by little she dragged herself, her head swimming and her chest aching. After what felt like an eternity she made it to the elevator and pulled herself inside before the doors closed. She jabbed the button for the first floor and slowly counted in her head to keep herself from panicking. She just needed some heat. She just needed to get outside.

Dragging herself from the elevator to the front doors felt much longer than moving from the hallway to the elevator even though salvation was in sight. She pressed her weight into her fingertips, using the traction to help pull herself forward. Almost there. Just a few more feet. Black started to creep in the corners of her vision and everything tilted and swayed.

"Almost…there…"

Her fingers brushed the base of the glass door. She reached an arm up for the door handle, using any strength she had left. She stretched and stretched, extending her fingers, lifting her body off the ground. She could feel the tingling in her fingertips again. _Almost there…_

Sage used the last of her energy to brace herself before slamming her face into the concrete on the other side of the door. Holding herself up on her elbow, she stretched her arm out and slapped her palm against the part of the sidewalk bathed in sunlight. She let out a long, relieved breath as she felt the sun heat up her cold skin and seep up through her arm, as if sunbeams were racing straight towards her heart.

Ah, sweet relief.

**_# # #_**

"Wait, run this by me again." Iris looked up from her half painted toenails and across the room to see her cousin pausing on whatever it was that she was drawing. They were having their typical Girl's Night In – a night filled with making dinner together (shepherd's pie), sitting in front of the TV to watch _American Idol_ auditions, making cookies and regretting eating all of them later, and painting their nails as they talked about anything and everything that came to mind. It started whenever Sage visited Central City during her breaks in the school year and, now that they were living together, it was a weekly tradition they looked forward to. It was especially much needed after the long week they've been through. "You're changing your thesis topic from writing about Simon Stagg, something that's real—or was depending on who you're asking—to writing about some red streak?"

"Yeah," Iris replied, ducking her head to finish applying bright purple nailpolish to her big toe. "And the Red Streak is real. It has to be. How else do you explain all these news reports about a streak showing up before a mugger is stopped or someone is rescued from a fire?"

"Mass hysteria?" Sage suggested, spinning her pencil around in her fingers. "Mass vision problems? Floaters are a thing, you know. Sign of retinal detachment."

"I think you have acute brain detachment," Iris teased. Sage stuck out her tongue. "I think it's a good topic. New stories are coming out every day about him."

"What makes you think it's a him?" Sage asked. "Could be a girl."

"It's not a girl," Iris said dismissively. "It's a boy. I can tell. Boys are more into the superhero, saving the world sort of thing anyway."

"Hey, even us normal people want to be superheroes. You can't tell me you've never thought having super powers would be cool," Sage said. "Or your own costume and your own awesome name and people looking to you to help and make you feel…important and needed."

"Aww," Iris cooed. She swung her legs off the bed and sat on the color next to her cousin. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder she said, "I think you're important and I need you."

"Thanks," Sage said with a roll of her eyes despite laughing. "But that's not what I meant. See, look at this." She turned around the sketchbook she was drawing into show Iris. "Wouldn't you feel _so_ awesome wearing a cool suit like this? Like Superman! You could do _anything_ and no one could tell you not to."

Iris took the sketchbook into her hands and looked over the brightly colored drawing that sat on the paper. She smiled at the sight of the suit drawn on the figure on the paper. "I'm loving the boots," she said, nodding in approval at the black knee-highs.

"Yeah? I knew they'd be a good touch," Sage said with a smile.

"So you can go along with this but you're not going to believe that the Red Streak is real?" Iris asked. She knocked against Sage's shoulder. "I smell a hypocrite."

"There's a difference, Ris. Take Starling City for example. They have the Arrow. A normal guy who shoots people down like Robin Hood. You're talking about a red streak, something that moves fast enough that no one can see it that well. That's just…"

"Impossible?" Iris filled in for her, her eyebrows lifting. "Hasn't Barry always taught us that nothing is impossible?"

"If Barry's taught me anything it's that I have mastered the ability to fall asleep with my eyes open," Sage replied, setting her sketchbook aside. Leaning forward she grabbed the empty bowl that had held popcorn only a few minutes before and then got to her feet.

"Speaking of Barry," Iris said slowly, rubbing her palms against the knees of her pajamas pants, "have you noticed he's been acting a bit strange lately?"

"He's not acting any different than the Barry I know," Sage replied, now spinning the bowl around between her fingers.

"Yeah, but…I can't help but feel like he's keeping something from me," Iris continued. "He's my best friend. I know when he's upset, I know when he's happy, I even know when he's hungry! I know everything about him but whenever I try to ask him about it he keeps…deflecting."

"Maybe he just needs some space. People need space sometimes. But, right now, we need more popcorn."

Iris pouted as Sage stepped over her legs and left the room. Her pout changed to her pursing her lips. There was no way Barry needed space. Ever since they met she and Barry had been attached at the hip. Even as they grew older and their interests pulled them in different directions they were still close. Hell, she visited him at S.T.A.R. Labs any chance she could get that should have meant something to him. And yet he was running around and being secretive.

She sighed and pulled at a loose thread on her shirt. She knew she wasn't exactly the most truthful person in the world herself. She had kept her and Eddie being together a secret even after he woke up from his coma but come on! The news could have shocked him too badly. It would be hard enough for him to have to catch up on everything that he missed without the added change…

_That's it!_ Iris laughed aloud and shook her head. That had to be it. Barry was acting strangely because he couldn't handle the fact that she had a new man in her life. She sighed. How could she not see it before? It all made sense, the way he turned away whenever they were together or his somewhat vield snide remarks about Eddie. It was just something they all had to get used to.

Jumping to her feet as best as she could, Iris then shuffled to the door on her heels. She made it halfway down the stairs, gripping the banister, when her father's hushed voice stopped her. Her eyebrows crinkled and her head tilted to the side as she listened to the hiss-like conversation.

"You're making too big a deal about this, Uncle Joe," Sage commented over the sound of popcorn kernels bursting in the microwave. "Nothing happened. I didn't get hurt."

"But you _could_ have been," Joe replied. Iris recognized the tone he was using; it was his Detective Tone. "You can't just jump into things without understanding the risks and the danger involved."

"Ugh, you're such a buzz kill!" Iris could almost see Sage rolling her eyes despite a wall separating them. "Nothing happened! I'm fine. What's so wrong with me wanting to actually do something to help?"

"What's wrong is that you could get yourself killed. This isn't a game, Sage."

"I know that but…Uncle Joe, I have to do something. It's so boring just sitting around and doing nothing while everyone else gets to do something important. I want to do something important."

"Running into situations blind isn't the way to go." There was a pause—Iris guessed that her father was pinching the bridge of his nose—and he said, "You're acting just like your father."

The steady beeping of the microwave and the sporadic pops of the last kernels in the bag broke the otherwise thick silence that had fallen in the kitchen after Joe's statement. Iris could hear her heart beating clearly in her chest. She braced her hands against the wall as she leaned forward to hear what they were going to say.

"I'm _nothing_ like my father," Sage hissed. Iris heard the quick succession of footsteps before the microwave door was yanked open which was then followed by a forceful rip of a paper bag and the distinct clacking of leftover kernels falling into the metal bowl.

"His impulsiveness is what landed him where he is right now. I don't want the same to happen to you."

"It won't, Uncle Joe. Because, unlike my father, I intend to do some good for others instead of masquerading a hero."

"Sage—"

"_Stop_ telling me what to do! You and Barry—_gah!_ You're not the boss of me! I can do what I want! That's why I came here, to get away from being told what to do all the time!"

"As long as you're living here you're going to do what I say! I'm just looking out for you."

"Well…look out for me less!"

Pushing away from the wall, Iris turned and raced up the stairs on her heels as quickly as possible. She had heard enough.

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- So I was a bit of a dummy and accidentally uploaded the prologue in for the last chapter when I added a note to the header section so now my review replies on that chapter are gone. -_-" Anyway! i'm back! Sorry for the long wait, life has been kicking my butt but here's the next chapter! It has a little bit of everybody but we're missing our favorite detective! But don't you worry, Eddie will be in soon. Also, coming up next is...Leonard Snart! The man we've all been waiting for (or have we been?) I can't wait for you all to see what I have planned for the next chapter! What did you think of this one? Please read and review!

Also, if you haven't yet check out _Flash Fire_ and _In a Flash_ under the DarkElements10 page. You won't regret it.

Review Replies

_guest27_ \- Did she do it? Who knows? You'll find out in the future! Thanks for the review.

_babyj_ \- Phew! I'm glad to hear that the WestAllen scene was in character and authentic. I was a bit worried there. The article may be about Sage, it may not be. You'll find out in the future! Thanks so much for the review!


	9. Mist the Mark

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Mist the Mark**_

Eddie scratched behind his ear with his pen and blew air out of the side of his mouth. When it came to normal crimes, like shoplifting, there were liable witnesses everywhere. Yet when one of Central City's infamous crime families bites the dust, there was hardly anyone in sight. It just wasn't possible. The street and the restaurant alone were in a popular entertainment area of Central City. Due to the estimated time of the attack, it had to have been a populated area. A movie had just gotten out roughly five minutes prior and no one noticed anything that could help?

He was tempted to ask Iris about what she had seen, knowing that she and Barry had spent quality time together that night since he couldn't get off work early enough but then the protective part of him shot that idea down. It was bad enough that she was the daughter of a police detective but now that she was dating Eddie as well that meant she had a bigger target on her back than before. He couldn't bear it if something were to happen to her because of him.

His blue eyes scanned the street for any other sort of witness he could think of asking. He already tried the shops and businesses surrounding the restaurant and he followed up on the few witnesses they did have. There was nothing else he could do. He was stuck at square one. He looked at Barry through the window as he crouched on the ground near one of the blanket-covered men. His fingers twitched against the pen in his hand and he fliped his notepad shut with a flick of his wrist. There had to be something else that could be done.

The entire Darbinyan crime family had been taken out in one swoop. The _entirety_ of it. Whoever it was that got them sure had a vendentta and had to have been planning it in advance to get them all in a room at once to strike them down. But now he and the rest of the CCPD were stuck with two questions: who did it and how? The why wasn't too important. Not everyone in the world wanted to get rid of a crime family and the only ones that could do it were mob hit-men. None, as far as he knew, had escaped jail or was in contact with anyone to orchestrate it.

Eddie heaved another sigh. Strange things had been happening around Central City for the past few months but this one had to take the cake. Weather phenomenon was blamed on global warming. A rash of power outages was blamed on faulty wiring. People reporting of a man manipulating their emotions was blamed on hypnotic persuasion, a magicians trick. Someone with a shark head terrorizing people was simply a trick some bored teen was playing on people. Everything weird had an explanation.

Until now.

Flipping his notepad shut, Eddie turned on his heel and entered the restaurant that he had just seen Joe enter. The other police officers on the scene milled about outside, no doubt as confused as he was. Still, a little bit of information was better than nothing so reporting it to his parter was the only thing he culd do.

"The only other exit was bolted from the inside, they were trapped," Eddie announced to Joe once he spotted the older man. "I was thinking someone pumped gas in from the outside but…" he sighed in a dejected manner, "witnesses say the street was empty."

"So it was from the inside," Joe surmised. "That must mean there's a canister or a container left behind. The gas didn't just…come in by itself."

"Unless it had a mind of its own." Barry stated. Eddie's eyebrows twitched and he looked over at Barry. Barry's face twisted into an expression that went well with his 'What? It could happen' shrug, that made Eddie shake his head at such a ridiculous idea. Surely Joe understood that too.

"Eddie, would you mind canvassing again?" Joe asked, slowly turning around. "Somebody _had_ to have seen something suspicious."

Words of protest died in the back of Eddie's throat. He had been partnered with Joe long enough to know that arguing with the veteran detective wasn't a good idea. But the favoritism just wasn't fair. Eddie was being treated like second-best just for doing his job while Joe doted and on and fluttered after Barry Allen. Eddie had a good track record. He knew what he was doing. He was transferred from the KCPD for a reason, wasn't he? So how come Joe never paid attention?

Pressing his lips together, Eddie gave a curt nod and did as he was told. You could only canvass as much as people could provide information. Otherwise it was just a moot point. But Eddie was one to follow orders and he knew by now that Joe didn't like anyone deviating from his orders.

He scratched behind his ear and again and tried to focus on the crime at hand. Someone had taken out the crime family. He wracked his brain, trying to come up with something that could help them out. It finally stuck on something. Central City wasn't the only one with a crime family. Their sister city, Starling City, had one as well. But what was the name again?

Eddie's blue eyes swept around his coworkers until they rested on Captain Singh. Clearing his throat, Eddie lifted his chin and strode over to his captain. "Captain, I believe there may be a link between the Darbinyan crime family and Bertinelli crime family from Starling," he stated, adopting a tone of confidence that came with ease while on the job. "Reports from Starling indicate that someone is out there killing off its members. There could be a connection. I'd like to look further into it."

"Good thinking, Detective," Singh replied. "Report anything you find."

"Of course," Eddie replied. Elation swelled inside of him and he had to press his lips together to keep from smiling too big. Canvassing the case at hand was now child's play. He had a bigger case to look into.

**_# # #_**

It hadn't been long since Barry took on the responsibility of cleaning up Central City of their metahuman problems but each week seemed to bring on a new threat, almost like clockwork. It was one thing after another and they seemed more ridiculous than the last: first Clyde Mardon controlling the weather, then Danton Black who somehow was able to make copies of himself, and now, a killer that could somehow turn into poisonous gas and kill anyone within seconds. While it created dread for the rest of them, it all only seemed to stoke Sage's fascination for the new developments this world held, much to the others' chagrin.

"Come on, if you _had_ to pick one who would you pick?" Sage asked, using her feet to shift the chair she was sitting in from side to side. As she waited for Caitlin to reply she ripped off the top of a Pixi Stix tube and dumped the powder into her mouth.

"I'm not going to participate in this foolish debate," Caitlin replied, her voice tight. She briefly looked up from the computer she had been staring at to shoot Sage a reproachful look and then returned to whatever it was she was doing. It had to be something important with the way her brow was creased and her mouth was pulled down in the corners, as if anchored fish hooks were permanently lodged into her skin.

"It's not foolish, it's important," Sage replied, sticking out her now purple tongue.

"What's _important_ is trying to figure out more about this toxic gas, not some trivial matter over which musical act was better than the other," Caitlin said curtly. "I didn't have an opinion then and I don't have an opinion now." She paused for a moment and then added as an afterthought, "It was fodder intended to drive merchandise more than for anyone to come up with opinions based on the strengths or weaknesses of the lyrical and musical content."

Sage ripped the top off another Pixi Stix tube. "So you were a BSB fan then?" she asked.

Caitlin took in and let out a steady breath. It wasn't that Sage was annoying—Caitlin could never use that word to describe another woman considering the interests and mannerisms she possessed that Ronnie never hesitated to call her out on—no, it was that she was a bit…lax. Too lax. Someone was going around releasing noxious gasses on people and all she wanted to discuss were 90s boybands!?

"If it will get you off this topic, then yes, I will admit that I had a certain…_proclivity_ for the harmonies and the depth of the Backstreet Boys," Caitlin admitted, her eyes briefly flashing towards the ceiling. And, before she could properly shut her brain down like she always did, a picture of Ronnie flashed through her mind.

He eyes were crinkled in the corners and his cheeks were rounded as he laughed and laughed while holding onto the Backstreet Boys' first CD. Caitlin wasn't sure how he had found it in her apartment; she went through great lengths to hide it. He wouldn't understand her love for them, how they summed up her childhood during the 90s and how they made her feel that anything was possible and that she could become the bio-engineer she always dreamed about.

"I think you're putting too much stock into them," Ronnie had stated after hearing Caitlin's rather brief explanation.

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "There's a sense of positivity in their musical makeup that puts me in a good mood, that's all," she had replied, reaching around him to try and get the CD back.

"I can do that for you too, you know." A slight pout had formed on his mouth to go with the envy attached to his words. He had lifted the CD above her head, his eyebrows rising in a challenging way. "Be positive and everything. I always support you."

"I know. And I appreciate it. Far more than you could ever understand. But there is a difference between hearing it and feeling it." Caitlin had to stand on her tiptoes for her fingers to brush against the bottom of the CD.

"Oh, you want to _feel_ it then?" Ronnie had dropped his arm only to encircle them both around her waist and pull her body flesh against his. The action, as always, had made her gasp and a flush appear on her cheeks at his brazen gesture. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt as she looked up at him. If one were to take a picture she would swear there were stars in her eyes. And when he kissed her, well, she wondered if the heart pounding, blood rushing, stomach dropping experience she felt was the same as those who were launched into space who actually got to _see_ the stars up close.

Caitlin cleared her throat and squeezed her eyes shut until colors swam around. She lifted her hand from the keyboard that her fingers had frozen on and brought them up to her lips. Sometimes she could still feel his lips on hers, could hear his laughter in her ears, could feel his arms around her, and if it was really quiet she swore she could hear his heart beating in the back of her mind. It was almost like he was still there with her.

But that was only when it was quiet.

"See, I was more of an *NSYNC girl myself," Sage continued. "I felt that BSB took themselves a bit too seriously. *NSYNC was fun, anyway. Especially their live shows. They were my first concert you know. Although I wasn't too happy with Britney was opening for them at first because I couldn't stand her but now I think she's cool. Were you into Britney or Christina?"

"Sage!" Caitlin dropped her hand from her mouth; her palm struck the keys beneath her hands. Sage's lips clamped around the paper tube in her mouth and her eyes widened at Caitlin's curt tone. Caitlin ran a hand through her hair and then turned around the computer screen she had been looking at. "Do you see this? This is the molecular breakdown of the DNA that was found in Jude Theresa Howard. We still haven't cracked it. The longer it takes for us to figure this out the more people it could kill. And yet you're sitting here acting as if this is a joke or you're in summer camp! This is _real_."

"I know," Sage said, removing the now damp Pixi Stix tube from her mouth, "but you have to admit some of this is cool." Her timid words were battered down by the intensity of Caitlin's incredulous stare.

"This isn't _cool_. This is my job and you're not doing anything but getting in the way of it!"

The chair squeaked as Sage sat up straight, fixing her slouching position. Caitlin tore her eyes away and focused back on the screen in front of her, ignoring the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that, perhaps, she was a bit _too_ harsh but that didn't matter right now. She had a code to crack.

The silence that followed was welcoming. The only thing that punctuated the air was keyboard taps here and mouse clicks there. Caitlin zoomed in and zoomed out of the image, looking at the DNA strand that she and Barry had investigated only a few hours before. There had to be some clue, something they weren't getting. Something hiding in plain sight…

"Caitlin! Caitlin! Come quick!" Cisco's urgent voice crackled over the speaker sitting next to the computer. Both Caitlin's and Sage's head jerked up at the noise and Caitlin felt her stomach drop again, only not due to being on cloud nine this time.

"Cisco? What's wrong?" Caitlin asked once her finger was pressed on the intercom button sitting on the bottom of the speaker.

"It's Barry. He can't breathe—he got a gas sample! We're on the main floor!"

In the time it took for Caitlin to remove her finger from the intercom button, Sage had jumped out of her chair and had taken off down the hall. After clicking a few buttons to save her progress, Caitlin ran after her as best as she could in her heels. She knew Barry's body could regenerate and heal itself much better and faster than the rest of them but he was still an enigma. Who's to say that the gas wouldn't be his downfall? A rush of exhilaration ran through her at the prospects of anew information that could be extracted from Barry. _Now's not the time for that, Caitlin! Barry could die! _she admonished herself only a second later. Shame coursed through her body and made her run faster.

By the time she reached the main room Cisco, Harrison, and Sage had all gathered around a gasping Barry who was laid out on a bed. "Cut me open," he gasped, using a finger to draw a line down his chest. "The poison's still in me."

"He brought us a sample," Harrison relayed and then turned his attention over to Caitlin who looked at Barry with wide eyes. "Caitlin, we need to do a pulinary biopsy. Extract an active portion of that gas."

"Isn't there any other way to get it?" Sage asked, grasping Barry's hand. "Like…a breathalyzer of some sort."

"That's improbable and there's not enough time," Harrison shot down rapidly. "We need the sample now. Before it destroys Barry's vitals."

"Chest…on fire…" Barry breathed between his heavy gasping. His half-lidded eyes moved around the room, briefly resting on each of them in the room.

"Caitlin, _now_!" Harrison ordered. Sage bit her lip but held onto Barry's right hand tighter.

"Barry, I can't give you any anesthetic. Your metabolism will burn right through it," Caitlin told Barry in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I heal quick…remember?" Barry stated.

"Cisco, give me the syringe," Caitlin said, turning to her friend. She checked that Cisco had added the numbing gel to Barry's chest in the right place before taking it, making a face at his comment that it was a 'small needle' and that it probably wouldn't hurt. "You're definitely going to feel it," Caitlin corrected him, taking the syringe.

Barry's eyes widened at the sight of it. Sage placed her free hand on his cheek and turned his head so he was looking at her. "Hey, Bare. Just look at me, alright? Everything will be fine," she told him, doing her best to smile. His lips twitched in his effort to smile back and she swore she felt his grip on her hand tighten right before Caitlin sunk the needle into his chest. His body lurched forward as he took one last gasping breath and then collapsed onto the bed.

"Barry? Barry!" Sage called out, shaking his shoulder.

"He'll be alright," Harrison told her, although his laser-like focus was on Caitlin who was pulling the plunger back on the needle. He smiled when he saw some of the green gas fill the base of the needle. "With the gas extracted it should be enough for his lungs to repair itself and filter the toxins out." He sat still but his eyes watched Caitlin's movements as she pulled the needle out of Barry and then handed it over to Cisco. "He should awaken very soon."

Caitlin grabbed a piece of gauze that sat nearby and taped it to Barry's chest. She cast a glance Sage's way and her eyebrows furrowed at the expression of fear and worry on the other girl's face and the near death-grip she had on Barry's hand. For someone who appeared so worried about their friend it was odd that they hadn't even made their presence known when Barry was transferred to S.T.A.R. Labs while in his coma. But that wasn't Caitlin's place to comment on so she pressed her lips together and applied the monitor electrodes to Barry's chest.

She watched the blips on the screen as his heart beat stabilized and his breathing evened out. She let out a long breath. Good, he was asleep. Everything seemed fine. Now it was only a matter of time until they got answers about the exact makeup of the gas and the DNA they were examining.

It took twenty minutes for Barry to finally stir. Twenty minutes filled with them either pacing or looking at the clock on the wall. Cisco, at one point, ended up counting how many times Barry's heart beat in one minute, which was a bit hard to keep up with because of Barry's now 'normal' accelerated heart rate.

"The Streak lives," Cisco quipped once Barry's eyes fluttered open.

"You'd be dead if your lung cells didn't regenerate so quickly," Caitlin stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Barry groaned, blinking his eyes. "Ugh, my chest feels like that one time I had a cigarette." Sage snorted, a small smile appearing on her face that Barry reflected back at her. At the incredulous expression on Caitlin's face he added, "Yeah, teen me lived for danger."

"This isn't funny," Caitlin stressed. "You could've—"

"I didn't," Barry pointed out.

"How're you feeling?" Sage asked, grabbing Barry's attention. Barry grimaced as he tried to sit up.

"'Ve been better," Barry replied, his voice a rasp. "How long was I out?"

"Twenty minutes. That was some needle. I'm surprised you went with it, you nearly fainted when I got my nose pierced." Sage laughed softly at the memory of him becoming pale and weak in the knees just from looking at the needles around the parlor.

"Putting a needle on the end of a gun can't be the greatest idea in the world." He breathed out of his nose. "I'm fine, Say," he said, reaching out a gloved hand and brushed her honey-blonde hair off her cheek. She smiled, nodded, and moved away from him. He briefly glanced down at his now empty hand and then looked at the back of her head as she retreated. His smile was fleeting as Harrison spoke up.

"Now that we have a sample we'll get to work analyzing it. Figure out the makeup of the poison and maybe get a clue as to his human identity," he announced, his eyes shifting back and forth as they took in the information on the computer screen in front of him.

"Or at least a way to stop him from turning into a mist," Cisco replied. And then a second later he proudly declared the Metahuman's new name, much to Caitlin's chagrin. It was amazing how fast things seemed to go back to normal, even after Barry's near death experience.

"I have to get to the station," Barry announced.

"You should be resting," Harrison called out; voicing both Caitlin's and Sage's thought.

"I have to talk to Joe," Barry replied, getting up. "Sage, you coming?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No, go ahead. I have to ask Cisco something." Barry's eyes swept over to Cisco who shrugged his shoulders. Barry nodded and, in the blink of an eye, ran out of the room.

**_# # #_**

"What are you doing over there that's so important?" Iris called over to Eddie. "Come on, you're going to miss _Downton Abbey!_"

"I'll be right there, babe," Eddie called back although he didn't budge from his desk chair. His laced fingers were pressed against his mouth and had been there as he poured over any little bit of information he could find on the Bertinelli crime family: the death of Paul Copani, which sent Moira Queen to the hospital; Nick Salvati's death and the death of a few other henchmen at the hands of the Arrow; the takedown of the Bertinelli drug warehouse; the Chinese Triad attacking the Bertinelli mansion; the killing of the Bertinelli lawyer; the deaths of Italian mobsters connected to the Bertinelli family; the eventual death of Frank Bertinelli due to being caught in crossfire between the hooded vigilantes and the SWAT team.

It was everything that had been realized to the public and he had absorbed the information like it was drinking water keeping him alive. Helena Bertinelli was the one to take out her father's crime family which solidified his beliefs that it was someone close to the Darbinyan family that did them in. He even researched those that were close to them: their informants, family members, even mob-hitmen but he couldn't pinpoint who it could have been. Besides, the last known mob-hitman assigned to the Bertinelli's—Kyle Nimbus—had been executed so it couldn't have been him.

Eddie growled and rubbed his hands through his hair in frustration. He swore he had a lead but he was stuck at a dead end. He blew out a breath and slumped in his chair. Maybe that was that, maybe this was going to be one case that wouldn't ever be solved. Maybe whoever did it fled and that was that. They had no leads.

One by one he closed the opened tabs on his computer, the magazine articles disappearing before his eyes but one made him stop and look at it again. He rubbed his chin as he read about the Chinese Triad. Starling City had its fair share of criminal organizations, that's for sure. Taking out a pen, Eddie scribbled down a list on his notepad:

-Chinese Triad  
-Royal Flush Gang  
-The Solntsevskaya Bravata  
-The Church of Blood  
-The Culebra gang  
-The League of Assassins

But he crossed out the Royal Flush Gang, already knowing their M.O. He then crossed out the Chinese Triad based on the simple fact that, unlike Starling City, Central City didn't have a large immigrant population so there was no point in them moving that far out just to deal with the Darbinyan family. That was quickly followed by the Church of Blood. A.R.G.U.S. had them on their sights and, with connections to A.R.G.U.S. themselves, he knew they had nothing to do with it. Bravata were most likely not involved due to working amongst themselves. So that left—

"C'mon, babe." Iris's voice sounded in his ear before the sweet scent of her shampoo wafted past his nose and her arms encircled his shoulders. "I can't wait any longer. I'm absolutely _dying_ to know what happens." She kissed his cheek and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You almost done?"

"Yeah," Eddie replied, closing the lid of his laptop. "Sorry. I was just going over some more things for work." He rubbed his tired, burning eyes and turned his head to properly look at her. "Looks like its going to end up a cold case." He kissed her cheek. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Okay, let's watch. Is the popcorn ready?"

"Yep. You just need to get the drinks," Iris replied. She gave him a squeeze and scurried back to the living room of his apartment. Eddie chuckled at her enthusiasm and forced himself out of his chair. He had just pumped the handle of his refrigerator when Iris answered her ringing phone. He had just closed the door when he noticed the odd silence that followed. He stood up straight and looked across the room at his girlfriend whose hand was covering her mouth.

"What? Are you sure?" she said into the phone. The pain in her words made Eddie appear at her side in an instant and he grabbed at her elbow. "Okay, I'll be right there."

"What is it? What's going on?" Eddie asked.

"It's my dad," Iris replied, her voice crackling as she tried to hold back tears. "He got attacked. He's in the hospital. We have to—"

"Yeah, let's go," Eddie interrupted her. Abandoning their drinks and their plans they both grabbed for their coats and rushed to the door of Eddie's apartment. They both flew down the stairs and got into his car as quickly as possible. Eddie nearly burned rubber as he shot out of his parking spot to get to the hospital. The entire drive he kept one hand on the wheel and one hand on Iris's knee, letting her know that he was there for her.

If anything were standing in her way Iris would have ran it over with how fast she got to the front doors of the hospital. She barely listened to the lady at the front desk tell her what room Joe was in before she took off again. By the time she got to the room all her emotions poured out into one strangled "Daddy" when she saw Joe lying in the hospital bed. Sage and Barry were standing by his side. Both looked as if they hadn't gotten a lot of sleep.

"Oh, baby I'm fine. Don't worry," Joe said as he hugged his daughter. Iris let out a relieved sigh as she brushed her hair out of her face.

Silence fell over the room as they all looked at one another. Finally Barry cleared his throat and muttered, "I'll let you guys talk," before walking out of the room. Sage loosely crossed her arms and looked over at Eddie and Iris once Joe addressed them. The placid expression on her face was then replaced by one of pure joy when Joe asked if they had arrived at the same time.

"Oh, this'll be good," she said gleefully as she took in the deer-in-headlights expressions on Iris's and Eddie's faces. Her smile didn't fall despite the glare her cousin shot her way.

Barry came back into the room and pulled on her arm by the crook of her elbow. "Let's go. I'll get you your favorite M&amp;Ms from the vending machine," he said as he began to pull her out of the room.

"What? No! I wanna hear this!" she protested, digging her heels into the floor.

"I'll get you Skittles too," Barry offered. Her eyes lit up at the thought of eating the candy and she quickly changed her tune, allowing Barry to lead her out of the room by her hand. "You really shouldn't enjoy Iris's misfortune like that," he commented.

"But where's the fun in knowing something and knowing they're gonna get reamed for it but not enjoying it?" Sage replied. She tried to throw her arms into the air but the weight of Barry's hand kept her from doing so. Wait… "Dude! What're you doing!?" She cried out, wrenching her hand from Barry's grip. "I could have—"

"You didn't," Barry pointed out, stopping to look at her.

"But I could have!" she said, looking at her gloved hands.

"But you _didn't_," he stressed. "You did it earlier." Her eyebrows furrowed and he continued. "When I was getting the gas extracted. You held my hand. You touched my face. And guess what?" He grasped her shoulders. "_Nothing_ happened. I'm fine. You didn't hurt me."

"But I _could_ have," she protested, willing out of his grasp. "I-I wasn't thinking. You were hurt…I didn't want you freaking out but I shouldn't have done that. And..and you were wearing gloves earlier so that doesn't count."

"Sage, listen to me," Barry said firmly. "You. Will not. Hurt me. No matter what. Wells and Cisco and Caitlin…we'll help you find a way to control it. I promise. You deserve your life back no matter how much you don't believe that you do." Sage looked at him with wide eyes. He merely smiled and dug his wallet out of his pocket. "Now for that candy."

"You'll eat the orange and yellow?" Sage asked.

Barry nodded. "Like always."

**_# # #_**

"Listen closely because this has to go off without a hitch. One small mistake will cost us the whole thing." The man's steel-eyed gaze swept over those that stood in front of him in the dark, dank warehouse. The only relief to the stifling air was due to the large fans embedded in the walls. His heavy footsteps were ominous as he paced in front of the men that waited for his orders.

"The Khandaq Dynasty diamond is being transferred to the Central City Museum tomorrow at precisely four in the afternoon. We want that diamond. Any sign of trouble and they will call the police. From that point on we will have _exactly_ 182 seconds for a response team to catch up so the timing will be crucial."

He turned on his heel and went back to his computer. After bringing up a program he turned the computer around to show the men a model of the city street. "One of you will be driving a tow truck that will house two cables that will attach to the armored car. The one driving needs to drive exactly at 45 mph. Not one degree faster or slower. The other two will attach the cables-Two men attach cables to the armored truck. It will force them to stop. You'll take out the guards and hold them at gunpoint but _do not_ shoot them. We don't want the heat on our tail. From then on we'll have 152 seconds for me to open the door with liquid nitrogen. We'll get the diamond and get out all before the police can even arrive." The steel-eyed man closed his laptop with a snap and crossed his arms. "Any questions?"

There was only one man who was brave enough to speak up. "You seem to have this all figured out, Snart," he commented.

Snart nodded once. "Planning ahead to compensate for every hitch is the only way to survive," he replied. "As you can see…" he paused to motion around to the space around them that was filled with a plethora of stolen items, "it has treated me well. And you'd be wise to follow my instructions unless you'd like to deal with the police…_and_ me." The men didn't say anything; they only lifted their chins in solidarity. "Good." Snart turned the computer back around and engraved the mapping image into his mind. Another heist was just right around the corner and as far as he was concerned there was no such thing as being overly prepared. It's what kept him out of jail so far and it was going to stay that way.

* * *

_**a/n - **_And here we're back with another chapter this time featuring The Mist (to a degree) and we get a Bage moment! I hope you liked the insights into Caitlin's and Eddie's side of things in this chapter. As you can see Caitlin and Sage don't exactly get along. It will prove to be an interesting dynamic to have around S.T.A.R. Labs and I have big plans for Eddie. I wish he were used a bit more in the show but I guess we'll have to wait and see for that to happen. Speaking of the show. _OH. MY. GOD_! Out of Time was an _amazing_ episode! I can't wait to see what they do with it tomorrow! What did you guys think of it? And what did you think of this chapter? We're getting to one of my favorite eps of the whole show for the next chapter. Felicity comes in! I can't wait to write out her and Sage meeting. Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and alerts guys! I'd love to hear from more of you, even if it's just "good chapter" or "nice" or "update soon".

Review replies

_babyj - _Thanks again for the review, dude. I was happy to see that you pointed out that Sage came off a bit annoying simply because, well, you're not supposed to like her all the time. I believe that a good well rounded character is one that can do or say something that others may not agree with but you still root for them in the end. I think it makes them more real. And yeah, we do get a bit more background on her! Things will slowly be revealed over time to explain how Sage got to the point where she is and why she is the way she is. I gotta tell ya, it's not exactly pretty. The conversation will definitely become important in the future.

_guest - _Thanks for your review! Man, I can't wait to show you what Snart is up to and can do in this story. The time has finally come! Thanks for being patient with me on that front. I hope you enjoy this chapter!


	10. (Frost)bitten in the Ass (1)

_**Chapter 9**_

_**(Frost)bitten in the Ass**_

The steady _thump, thump, thump_ caused the man to put down his newspaper and glare that the blond woman sitting across from him. Her cheek bulged out due to her poking her tongue against the soft wall. Her leg bounced due to the jiggling of her foot against the seat in front of her. Her fingers grasped the hem of her pink dress, her thumbs rubbing over one another. The fast-moving landscape outside the train reflected on the lenses of her glasses. It blocked her eyes from the man's view so he had to drop his glaring tactic.

"Excuse me," the man said, his voice gruff. Felicity jumped and the tiniest of squeaks popped out of her throat, making her cringe. "Could you stop that?" the man continued, nodding his head towards her bouncing foot.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't notice I was doing it," Felicity apologized, uncrossing her legs. She pressed her knees together, her grip never leaving the hem of her dress. "See, it's a nervous habit. My mom always tried to get me to stop but it didn't work. …Not that I'm nervous! I mean, I should be nervous; I'm just going to Central City. To visit a friend. One who's been in a coma. Yup." She popped her 'p' at the end of the word and nodded her head. "You may have heard about him. Barry? Allen? He just woke up so I'm going to go see him.

"I shouldn't be nervous about that, right? I mean, he's just a friend. A male friend. But, but not a boyfriend. I mean, yeah, he's cute and everything and really nice and really smart but…but we're just friends. I'm just going to check on him. Make sure everything's okay. Friends do that, right?" She paused and blew out a breath, not noticing the exasperated way the man across from her looked at her when she stated speaking again. "It's not that big of a deal that I'm coming to see him, right? I mean, he managed to survive a nine month coma, that's something to go and check someone on. I mean, I would want someone to come and check on me if I were in a coma for so long. That's just…that's common courtesy, I think. And I'm sure he'd see it that way, too. Because there's nothing to look into. Nothing at all. I'm just taking…a little visit to Central City to see a friend because I've never been here before. Hey, are there any sights I should see?"

"Yes," the man said, snapping his newspaper shut. Felicity watched as she made a show of gathering his jacket and briefcase and stood. "My back," he finished and, with a flourish, he moved up the aisle and found an empty seat away from her.

She clicked her tongue. It wasn't anything she hadn't dealt with before but it still stung. She couldn't help that she was concerned for her friend and that concern had turned into boundless energy. Everyone had a nervous tick, why did hers always make people run away? Finally uncurling her hands from her dress, she dug into her purse for her phone. After swiping in her passcode she checked her messages, one from Diggle wishing her a good trip and a short one from Oliver telling her, in his Oliver way, to hurry back as soon as possible.

Her lips pursed and she made a noise as she scanned Oliver's message again. That's all he had to say? For her to return to Starling City at the earliest convenience? She shook her head and put it back into her pocket. Surely he could have at least wished her a good trip and some well wishes to pass onto Barry. He got struck by _lightning_. Though, she supposed to Oliver, that didn't mean much compared to his time and experiences on the island. Her lips curled up as she snorted at how much it sounded like a missing episode of LOST.

She had finished her nineteenth Sudoku puzzle by the time the train pulled into Central City. Felicity glanced out the window, her eyes taking in the sister city. At first glance it reminded her of Starling with the high skyscrapers and the luxurious buildings. There weren't as many as Starling but there were a fair few.

Gathering her purse, she waited for a few people to exit the train before she stepped out onto the platform. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm her beating heart. She was only going to see Barry, that's all. Just going to see a friend. Just…took a long train ride to see a friend; there was nothing weird about that.

Felicity left the train station and managed to hail a taxi to take her to her hotel room. Once she was settled she took the same taxi over to the Central City Precinct. She paid the taxi driver and hooked her purse higher up on her shoulder as she strode inside.

"Can I help you, miss?" the guard by the door asked her.

"Oh! Uhm, yes. I'm looking for a friend. Works here as a forensic scientist. Goes by the name of Barry Allen," Felicity rambled. "Struck by lightning, was in a coma."

The guard laughed. "Ah, yeah, Babyface. Does he know you're coming?"

Felicity's eyebrows—which had risen at the nickname—lowered and she blinked. "Oh, no. I'm here to surprise him. Haven't seen him in a while. Just wanted to catch up."

"Okay, well, I'm going to have to provide you with a visitor's pass that you need to have visible at all times. His office is up on the top floor. The elevators are over there. Should you need any assistance, find someone with a badge and they will provide you with any assistance you need," the guard said. He got a clip-cable pass from the front desk and attached it to her jacket pocket.

"I'll do just that," Felicity replied. And, as if her arm had a mind of its own, she saluted the guard and then got into the elevator. It wasn't until the doors had closed entirely that she groaned and slapped her palm with her forehead. Great, she was slowly leaving her mark on Central City but not in the way she hoped.

The elevator took her up to the proper floor and she had to take a moment to collect herself and calm her beating heart. "Just walk in and say hey. He'll probably be happy to see you," Felicity muttered to herself, her heels clacking against the floor. "…Unless he's hanging out with Iris. Of _course_ he'd be hanging out with iris. She's always visited him in the hospital. Why would he remember you when he has Iris around?"

Her rant stopped as she passed through the doors into Barry's office, if it could be called that. It was much larger than she expected with windows that pulled in the sunlight and gave off a good view of the city. She tentatively walked along the racks of beakers that surrounded the room, over to the large map that had been pulled down, and then to the windows where high-rises dotted her view.

"Wow," she muttered, looking around at the city below. She pressed her hands together and brought her hands up to her mouth. Down below cars followed forward and people doted the sidewalks as they headed to their destinations. Where were they going? What was waiting for them? Family? Friends? Job opportunities? At least they didn't have to worry about being killed at any second of that day. That must be nice…

"Hey Barry, do youuu….know that you turned into a hot blond?" Felicity whirled around to spot a confused looking girl whose stride slowed as she entered the room.

"Are…are you talking to me?" Felicity asked, pointing to herself. She made a noise. "Of course you're talking to me. There's no one else in the room. But thanks, for that. The compliment, I mean. Never got that from a girl before. Not that…that's a bad thing! 'Cause it's not! It's great really. Thanks." She paused and then added while pulling on the end of her ponytail, "It's not real."

"Neither's mine. I wish this honey color were natural, alas I need some help from a bottle." She paused and her head tilted as she looked Felicity up and down. "Cute dress."

"Thanks." Felicity looked down almost as if she had to double check what she was wearing. "It's a little something I bought at the store." She clasped her hands together. "So…you're waiting for Barry?"

"Yeah, figured he'd be here by now but he's always late so…" the girls' words trailed off and she blinked. Felicity's eyebrows raised at the actions as the girl pointed. "Wait, are you his girlfriend or something? Is he actually _dating_ someone and not tell me?"

"Wha—no. We're friends. Just friends," Felicity said, waving her hand as a dusting of red settled in her cheeks. "I'm Felicity. Smoak. Like the aftermath of fire only I won't kill you." She gave a strained laugh and held out her rigid hand. "You must be…Iris?"

"Ha, no. I'm not Iris. You're close, though. I'm her cousin, Sage, nice to meetcha." Sage grasped Felicity's hand and gave it a hearty shake that made Felicity's arm jerk. She had to grab onto her purse to keep it from falling off her shoulder. Sage's smile dropped as she said, "Oh! You're _that_ Felicity! The computer girl. The one he wouldn't stop geeking out about. Should've known he didn't get a girl." She cleared her throat. "So what're you doing here?"

"I heard that Barry woke up so I was just going to check in on him," Felicity replied. "Make sure he's okay. No side-effects. Twitching or…anything of the sort."

"You know he may be _slightly_ weirder than he was before, but that's not saying much to be honest," Sage stated. "He dressed up like Superman every year for Halloween until he was twelve."

"Out of all the superheros he could have chosen from he picked a good one," Felicity mused aloud. "It could have been worse. It could have been the Green Lantern."

"Wasn't that movie terrible?" Sage asked. "I liked staring at Ryan Reynolds' face for two hours but that plot? Couldn't latch on. Now, Spider-man. That's a good movie."

"Interesting." Felicity tapped her chin with her finger. "Which iteration? Raimi or Webb? Choose wisely. They both have their merits and their faults."

"I gotta stick with the original, Raimi all the way, and not just because we saw that one first. I feel it was more grittier and Tobey pulled off the dark aspects of Spider-man's life better than Andrew did. It felt more organic. Not only that but I had a better time believing that Tobey was a nerd as compared to Andrew."

"Perhaps," Felicity hummed, "but—as seen in the comics—there was the large humor factor lacking in Raimi's version that Spider-man is known for. Also we're shown rather than told how much of a genius Peter Parker is. He was supposed to have built his own web slinger, not have it given to him as well."

Sage nodded. "True, but with it built in in Raimi's version it showed Peter's inner struggle when it petered out rather than having to be told he was going through mental turmoil. …No pun intended."

"That was a good one," Felicity noted. "All in all I have to side with Webb's film but I will admit this: Tobey was a better Peter and Andrew was a better Spider-man."

"Are you sure it's not the nerdy tech boy that does it for you?" Sage asked. Felicity's mouth turned to the side. "You know, birds of a feather. You're into high tech computer stuff. Would you happen to know how to fix an old police scanner?"

"Of course," Felicity replied. "I could do that with my eyes closed…not that it would help matters. It is kinda helpful to actually be _looking_ at what you're doing. In short, yes. Yes I can." Her thumb popped up in a last minute thumbs-up gesture. "Do you happen to have one?"

"Right here," Sage replied, digging into the rucksack that had been hanging off her shoulder. "I have to run to class but if you could get this fixed as soon as possible I would appreciate it."

"Um…sure," Felicity said as she took the contraption. She stretched out her purse and slid it inside as best as she could without damaging her equipment inside. "Do I get to know why?"

Sage shook her head. "Sorry, that's a secret."

"Ah, yes, I know all about those. Have to keep a few myself. Well…more than a few. A fair bit. …A _lot_ actually."

Sage laughed and said with the ending sigh, "Don't all girls?"

**_# # #_**

"How is this _fun_? I don't get it," Cisco muttered, using the end of his pen to scratch at his head. He blew out a breath and stared at the scribbled out grid on the paper in front of him. Sudoku puzzles were something that Caitlin had introduced him to and it had him more confused now than he was before. It didn't help that he didn't have much room to try adding numbers to the boxed sequences anymore. Maybe if he squeezed in numbers in some places and wrote small in others…

"Forget it." He slapped the pen down on the countertop and sighed, running a hand though his hair. If Barry were with him they could be spending time running around and stopping small crimes while they waited for something big to happen. They could be having fun but no. Caitlin insisted on him finding new outlets that "didn't drain or cause potential harm to Barry as we continue to research and delve into the intricate enigmas that plague him".

Truth be told he found an appreciation for board games through her (he still thanked her for introducing him to the masterpiece that is Diplomacy), he entertained her desire to show him (and Ronnie at the time) how to crochet, heck he even played a few games of chess with her but Sudoku puzzles? He gave it a shot but even she wasn't enough of a catalyst to get him to stick with it. He preferred normal puzzles, the more pieces the better. He made a mental note to ask her if she wanted to continue their 1000 piece rainbow gradient puzzle in the future but for now he wanted to actually do _something_. And karaoke was currently out of the question even though his pipes were ready to burst.

His lips vibrated as he blew a breath out a breath. He checked his phone for messages—only to be greeted to a picture of his brother's newest piano trophy—and then checked his e-mail, which he then realized was a silly idea. He was _at_ work; anything that needed to be said to him could be said to his face. And yet there was absolutely nothing going on. No petty thefts, no common crimes, no metahumans running around for them to take care of. Nothing _fun_.

With a dejected sigh, he dropped down in a computer chair and brought up files for the information they had gathered on Barry and his powers. He had read them over time and time again at this point but it was still fascinating. His cells could regenerate much faster than that of a normal person. He could heal himself in a short amount of time. He could run faster than many manmade modes of transportation. Barry's powers could bring them one step closer to making instantaneous travel a reality. Not only that but unlock the key to extending human life!

The smile on his face stretched the longer he read over their findings. Once he exhausted that information he switched over to the information gathered on Sage's ice-based powers. He rubbed his chin and then propped it up in his palm. Her powers gave them as many questions as Barry's did. Was it possible for her powers to work against her? Could it freeze her if something went wrong? How did she cope in cold temperatures? Did she get affected by frostbite? If she couldn't touch other people did that mean she had to be careful around herself? How much more could she do that they haven't seen or tested yet?

It was amazing how much they still didn't know about the particle accelerator and its effects on people. Hell, it turned one guy into _gas_ of all things. Were their powers brought to them by the environment that they were in at the time of the accident? Were they mutually exclusive? Barry was struck by lightning and Sage had been exposed to harsh temperatures and The Mist had been in an execution chamber. What kind of person could they encounter next? Someone turning into a coal monster due to being trapped in a sauna? Oh, the possibilities were endless! Cisco had to keep himself from clicking his heels together in glee.

"Do I want to know what you're looking at, Cisco?" Caitlin asked as she walked into the room, briefly looking up from the clipboard that was in her hand. "You're smiling the same way you did when I walked in on you and Ronnie looking—"

"We said we'd never speak of that again!" Cisco said, holding his finger in her direction. She cracked a smile, one of the few she's allowed since the accident. "Besides, it's Ronnie you have to blame for that. Not me."

"That's easy to say since he isn't here to defend himself," Caitlin countered. Cisco stiffened at her words. A lump lodged in his throat, stopping his breath until he could swallow it. His fingers gripped the mouse beneath his hand a little tighter so the plastic creaked. She didn't notice his posture as she continued, "Besides, we all know that you were the bad influence in that little partnership."

"I like to think we influenced each other," Cisco replied, his once stiff posture softening as he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "It wasn't my idea to make a firework gun."

"So whose was it to shoot it indoors?" Caitlin's eyebrows popped up and she pressed her lips together. He could see her lips twitching in the corners.

"Don't act like you didn't like it. I recall _someone_ wanted to use it on one of your indoor date nights."

Caitlin's lips parted and she tried to appear indignant but the red pooling in her pale cheeks gave her away. "Who am I to not give your inventions the proper attention it deserves. We need to know how the end results will play out…for science, of course."

"For science," Cisco mockingly agreed. Caitlin shook her head and turned her attention back to her clipboard. He pushed away from the computer and crossed the room to get to his stash of assorted candy. "Hey, do you think The Mist likes sweets?" he asked as he dug through the bag, bypassing small packages of Smarties and SweetTarts.

"I dunno, I always thought he'd be into Italian," Caitlin replied. Her quip made him take pause and stand to look at her. She kept her head lowered so her hair, a long curtain, shielded her face.

"Ahhh. Mob bosses, hitmen, I get it, I get it," Cisco said aloud. He let out a small cackle of victory when he found a few Twizzler pieces. He yanked the wrapper off one and stuck it in his mouth. The rush of —artificial cherry—or was it strawberry—assaulted his tongue. "Do you think that would work? I mean…he may be a killer and everything but I'm sure they have their favorite foods and stuff."

"I don't recommend getting too close to ask."

Cisco snorted and chewed on the end of his candy. But certainly even The Mist had to be normal enough to have food preferences. And just because he was now in a…containment room of sorts like a prisoner didn't mean they had to be removed from all the comforts they had on the outside like good food. He attended public school, he knew what it was like to have bad food day in and day out.

He hummed as he chewed and then moved over to the computer that Caitlin was sitting in front of. He may as well get a quick few games of Minesweeper in as he waited for something to happen. His wish was granted within the next few minutes as Barry walked in through the doorway with Felicity in tow as she commented about hacking into their satellite.

"Rude," Cisco commented, taking the Twizzler out of his mouth. Caitlin wrung her hands together as she spoke to Felicity and Cisco waved it away. After all, Barry wouldn't bring just _anyone_ to S.T.A.R. Labs to show them around. Especially with the suit on display as it was. And then…wait, _what_? "Sweet!" Cisco gasped as Barry's revelation. "Now it's all making sense. You know who the Arrow is! Wait." Cisco turned to Barry, pointing at him with his candy. "Do _you_ know who the Arrow is?"

Cisco bit down on his candy again as Barry shook his head and denied knowing who the Arrow was. But they were both superheroes, now, surely Barry had to have some clue if he's been to Starling, knows Felicity, knows that Felicity know who the Arrow is, and has worked with her. Of course secrets had to come into play but since Felicity knew theirs it was only fair that they could know the Arrow's right?

They moved over to the viewing area as Barry started running on the treadmill and Cisco relaxed in his seat. His rolled his shoulders and was surprised to find that the weight that had been sitting on it before was gone. It was nice to tell someone else their secret and it was nicer to tell someone else and have them immediately understand what they were doing and not still see the accident that fell onto Wells's shoulders. Of course, working with the Arrow could have something to do with that.

"So he can do everything fast?" Felicity mused aloud, watching as Barry ran on the treadmill. Little bolts of electricity shot off him the faster he ran. "Go to the bathroom? Burn through food? He must have a buildup of static, is the shock much more painful if he touches something susceptible to the electricity? Would it cause a burn because of the built up electricity? Is he fast in all areas of his life?"

"Trust me, I've been wondering about that myself. I'm especially curious in his…_nightly_ activities," Sage commented as she walked into the room. She set her helmet in one chair and dumped her drawstring bag into it as she approached the group. "Make me happy, Candyman," she said while extending her hands and curling her fingers in a gimmie-gimmie motion.

"Good point. Does he slow down when he sleeps? I wonder how fast he is in bed," Felicity continued. That earned looks from both Cisco and Caitlin that made her quickly backtrack, "Not that I was thinking about him in bed. Of course not, that'd be weird. I was just thinking in the sense…does he compress more sleep in a few hours than we do? Does he _need_ that much sleep?"

"I want to know how fast his hair grows," Sage commented as she popped open the bag of Sour Patch kids that Cisco had given her. "How often does he need to go the barber? He'd be their best customer. You could make wigs out of his hair, stop male patterned baldness."

"All questions of which we should have answer soon enough," Harrison commented, his mouth lifting in the corners. "Your inquiries are certainly…colorful."

"It's the only way I can get away with asking these sort of questions, especially with him behind that window," Sage said in a stage whisper while pointing at a still sprinting Barry. Dropping her voice she turned to the side and muttered, "Did you fix it?"

"Of course." Felicity patted her purse. "I just hope you're not going to do anything crazy. I've been around some crazy things. I could write a book on crazy things, actually."

"I have an uncle who is a police officer and a father who was in the military," Sage relayed, "I grew up with no room to do anything crazy unless I wanted a gun in my face." At the expression on Felicity's face she added, "I'm kidding."

Felicity laughed a little bit it, her eyes shifting back and forth behind her glasses. She passed the now fixed police scanner over to the girl and turned her attention back to Barry. She couldn't keep the words in her mouth, her new questions flew out as fast as her mind came up with them. And when Barry attempted to run backwards only to trip and fly off the treadmill she winced.

"Don't worry, he heals quickly too," Caitlin said nonchalantly. A couple seconds after her assessment Barry was back on his feet and joined them in the room, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We need more padding on that wall," he commented with a goofy half smile.

"Are you okay?" Felicity asked, approaching him.

"Of course. Hardly felt a thing," he replied. "See?" He shook out his arms and legs. "I'm good to go."

"Well, now that that's out of the way how about I show Felicity what I can do?" Sage asked, setting her bag of candy aside.

This made Felicity turn around, her eyebrows raised in astonishment. "Wait…something happened to you too? Did you get struck by lightning as well?"

"No, I—" Sage started.

"Ms. Moreaux, you have more experiments to go through before you even have the right amount of control over your abilities to be able to show someone else without causing them harm," Harrison spoke up, cutting her off.

"But I've been practicing!" Sage protested. "I mean, it's kinda tricky at home…and around work and school…but I've found time! I've gotten better, really! I can even do this!"

"That's enough," Harrison said before she could even move to take off her gloves.

"But you really have to see it! I can—"

"I said that's _enough_, Ms. Moreaux." Gone was the previous softness in Harrison's voice. It had been replaced with a cold, calculating clipped tone that stopped her in her tracks and made everyone else freeze. He pressed the lever on his wheelchair and wheeled towards her, stopping a few feet away from her. "When I tell you something I'm not saying it because I like to hear myself talk. I am trying to protect you and the others in this room from getting hurt because you are _too eager_ to take your time and do things the _right_ _way_. Now, it would be wise for you to heed my warnings and follow proper procedure if you would like to see yourself improve. …We wouldn't want any more accidents." He wheeled his chair around, holding her gaze until he wheeled himself right out of the room.

Heavy silence hung over the room. Cisco's fingers twitched. His body ached to say something, do something to break the tension but he didn't know what that could be. Thankfully he didn't have to do anything for Barry was the one to break the silence by clearing his throat.

"Well…Felicity and I were going to be late anyway," he spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "I still need to show her around Jitters. Um, Sage, d'you wanna come? I'll treat you to a caramel macchiato."

"Uh, no thanks," she replied, giving her head a shake. She tried for a smile and while it appeared it didn't last long. She cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I have some homework I need to do anyway. It'd be better to stay here…where it's quiet."

"Okay. I'll bring you back biscotti," he said. He reached out to hug her and she kept her arms pinned by her side. "What, no 'Barfolomew'?" He asked as he held her at arm's length. He gave her shoulders a shake. "I know he was a bit strong with his wording but he's just concerned. He just doesn't want anyone getting hurt due to a mistake."

Cisco and Caitlin looked at each other from either side of Barry and turned away. It's been nine months but the results of the particle accelerator exploding still weighed on their hearts. Hell, Cisco'd rather the world be mad at him than be mad at Wells. At least then he could spend the rest of his life working to fix his mistake and change his reputation around. Wells wasn't exactly young and his reputation was probably tarnished at that point. It was funny how fast one could fall from grace.

"Okay, we'll see you guys later," Barry said, addressing Cisco and Caitlin.

They waved their goodbyes and watched as Felicity and Barry walked out of the room. Caitlin's heels clacked on the floor as she wordlessly gathered some papers and walked off. Cisco popped the rest of his Twizzler into his mouth and swallowed. "Well, I guess it's just us," he announced. Sage barely cracked a smile. "Hey, it's like Barry said. Wells is just looking out for us. He just doesn't want anything else to happen if he could prevent it this time." He cleared his throat. "Come on, you can help me with inventory and I can show you all of my toys. Did I tell you about the firework gun?"

"You made a _firework_ gun?" Sage asked as she followed him. He didn't miss the excitement in her voice as much as she tried to hide it. "Like, it pops off those big explosions with all the colors?"

"And it even works indoors in the daylight," Cisco replied. "It's one of my better inventions, if I do say so myself. Right behind turning a potato launcher into a French fry gun. We've abuse that one many times."

"Do you guys eat fast food all the time? How many hours do you pull here?"

"A fair amount. Honestly, we're not too concerned about eating right when we're onto something. Big Belly Burger loves us."

Cisco paused by a door and held up his S.T.A.R. Labs I.D. A green laser beam shot out and scanned the photo on the front before briefly flashing blue. Access granted. The door slid open and Cisco stepped inside, motioning Sage to follow him. "This is where we keep most of our inventory. We used to have a warehouse full of stuff in Starling but Caitlin and I were sent to clean it out. That's how we met Felicity, actually." He removed a clipboard from the wall and removed the bottom paper that was on it. "Here, you can take this one. All we do is go down the row is make a note of the tech that's inside. The reference numbers are already on the paper so you just go down the row and mention if it's there or not."

"You made all of these yourself? Man, I can't even make a good LEGO structure. I just ended up making a bunch of walls."

"I jumped past LEGOs and went straight to K'Nex. After creating a Boeing 747 and creating a robot that could pick up trash I figured there was more of a challenge creating something from my mind from scratch. I'm totally like the Professor Roy Hinkley of S.T.A.R….labs…"

He stopped, blinked, rubbed his eyes, and then blinked again. Where one of his inventions, a cold gun, was supposed to sit instead was an empty space. He reached his hand out and searched around in the darkness for it but all he got was a handful of air.

His heart bypassed the option of ramming against his chest in favor of lodging in his throat. _Oh no no no no!_ He set the clipboard aside and stared numbly at the gaping black hole. It hadn't been there the day before either and he had just thought that he had misplaced it. But now…

He barely noticed Caitlin appearing behind them. He barely noticed her calling for Dr. Wells and he barely noticed stuttering that one of their tech was missing. It was as if his body had shut down and he was having an out of body experience. His brain was making him answer the questions that Harrison asked even though he wasn't sure what he was saying. He could barely hear his own thoughts over his beating heart.

_No. This can't be happening. This can't be happening._

"I'm gonna ask you again, Cisco. But when I do, I expect a more specific answer than '_I don't know_'. Now, how long has this weapon been gone?" Harrison's jarring voice made Cisco flinch. He took a shaky breath and licked his lips.

"A day, maybe two," he admitted his voice cracking. He continued in a rush, "One of the janitors didn't show up for work this morning. He was probably the one who took it. I didn't think that—"

Sage, Caitlin, and Cisco all jumped when Harrison slammed the door shut. It briefly squeaked before clanging against the wall. Cisco's once steady breath became shaky as he waited. He wrung his hands together and licked his lips.

"You didn't think, because if you had, you would have _discussed_ with me first _your_ desire to build something that could, in theory, hurt anyone, and in particular, _Barry Allen_."

"I'm sorry," Cisco stated. "If you just let me explain—"

Once again Harrison interrupted him using a tone of voice that made it clear that he was only going to say things once. "You know how I feel about weapons, Cisco. They do not belong in S.T. A.R. Labs." He paused and when he continued speaking his words were a cold whisper, "Now, you are gonna figure out a way to locate this gun and you are gonna do it _right now_."

"This thing you built…what can it do?" Caitlin asked only once Harrison had left and was out of earshot. She watched his retreating figure for a moment and then forced her attention over to Cisco.

"Bad stuff," he replied.

Caitlin was the one to lead the charge out of the room. Cisco had never seen a woman run so fast in heels before. For a fleeting moment a thought passed through his mind about how she could run with about three inches added to her feet and not break and ankle. But then he shook his head and focused on their task at hand.

"Does it have a tracking device in it?" Caitlin asked as she dropped down in front of a computer. Her fingers flew across the keyboard to effortlessly type in her password.

"No, I…I didn't think about it," Cisco replied. "I didn't think anyone would just come in and take it."

"Yeah, we didn't think about a lot of things," Caitlin agreed with a sigh. "The longer we try and find something to track it the more damage can be done. We have to figure out an answer and fast."

"But what if whoever has the piece of tech goes around and hurts people while we wait?" Sage asked.

"Well, we're just going to have to wait for Barry to catch whoever it is that has it. Assuming they're out there using it against civilians," Caitlin replied.

"That's too much time," Sage mumbled, voicing Cisco's concerns.

He grumbled and rubbed his hands over his face, earning Caitlin's and Sage's attention right away. "I'm sorry," he uttered. "If it weren't for me…had I thought about what I was doing…" his words trailed off. "Wells is right. I was only trying to help…"

"Cisco, you do help," Sage spoke up. "I mean, you made Barry's suit right? Without it he'd be a pile of ash. And…you made those high calorie bar things for him."

"Yeah, but Wells…"

He didn't want to finish his sentence, it was too hard. Wells was _disappointed_ in him. It was one thing to have his own parents to basically pass him aside for his brother but to have Wells—the only father-like figure he had in his life—actively angry at him? He couldn't bear it. It left a strong ache in his chest. It hurt to breathe, like a rock had been strapped down.

"We'll figure something out, Cisco," Caitlin reassured him, her eyes on the computer screen. Her brows were furrowed and lines appeared in her forehead and by her mouth. She appeared much older than she actually was. Cisco had to turn away.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Sage placed her gloved hand upon his arm. "How is your hand cold through the leather?" he asked her as she pulled him aside.

"I dunno, I think I create a sort of ice glove on the inside," she replied. "Anyway. I was thinking…we could get back on Wells' good side. Something is bound to happen soon. A theft. Maybe…a carjacking, I don't know. But if I can go out and stop it and with your help maybe it could show him that—or remind him in your case—that we can help out the team."

"You want to go against Dr. Wells?" Cisco asked.

She bit her lip. "Not go against him _exactly_… He said to track the tech, right? Someone with something like that…they're not going to just sit around and not mess with it. The urge is too strong. Come _on_, Cisco." She grabbed his arm with both hands and jumped up and down. "We can make things right. I know I can do it. Wells said I need more practice. _Well,_ how else can I get practice if I don't go out and use what I have?"

"What if you get hurt?" Cisco asked.

"I know how to use a gun," Sage replied. "Not that I'll need it!" she hastily added at the disturbed expression on Cisco's face due to the nonchalance in her words. "Please, Cisco. I just want my chance. That's all."

He heaved a sigh. He could feel a tug on one side of him and a tug on the other side of him. One half of him yelled in his ear to stay put, that doing anything else wasn't a good idea, to jut focus on getting the gun tracked. The other half yelled, equally as loud, that it was a good idea, that showing what he could do in a positive light could help his stance and maybe earn Wells's forgiveness back…

He dragged his fingers through his hair, pulling at the strands. He glanced at Caitlin over his shoulder and then placed his hand on Sage's shoulder, pushing her away from the computers and out of the room. "Okay, I have something for you that I think you'll like."

Sage gasped and clasped her hands together. "My suit! You made my suit!"

"You designed it," Cisco countered, swiping his card to enter a closed off room. "I just brought it to life." He flicked on the light and stepped aside as Sage entered the room. He smiled at her enthusiasm at the sight of her costume but, deep in the pit of his stomach, knots were twisting.

He hoped he hadn't made a mistake.

**_# # #_**

"…Suspect has entered the theatre. Requesting backup. Suspect is armed. Confirmed civilians still inside…"

Sage pressed against her ear, successfully cutting off the transmitted police report that moved through the earpieces built into her suit. She still couldn't believe something that she had taken time creating on paper she was now wearing.

Her hood hung low over her forehead, shielding most of her face while her goggles covered up the remaining half, leaving her nose, mouth and chin exposed. She danced a little on the spot. She felt so cool, like the Arrow! Although she was sure he wouldn't be caught dead wearing arm and leg warmers. She had to convince Cisco to throw that in; while he saw it as a strange accessory she saw it as a necessity. After all, wearing a hooded romper left her with her arms and legs exposed and she needed to keep her body temperature up somehow.

_Focus, Sage, focus!_ She stopped her dancing and gave her head a shake, thankful that her hair was tucked back in her hood so it wouldn't fly all over her face. _Snart's in there. Take him down and show them what you can do. That's all. It's easy. Like…riding a bike._ _…Riding a bike up Mt. Everest maybe._

Slapping her forehead with her hand she then turned and slipped in through the side door she had been crouched near. She navigated her way through the semi darkness until she burst into the theatre of building. She could hear faint screams from the front of the building which made her heart beat harder than she had ever felt it beat before.

Her fingertips tingled and she rubbed them against her palm as she crouched down, waiting for Snart to show up. She licked her cracked lips, wincing a little at the sting. Flashed of bright blue light burst in the distance that made her eyebrows furrow. She'd seen that light before, from her own hands. Was it possible… Did Cisco make what she thought he made?

"Suspect is in sight! Approaching," a security guard mumbled as he made his way up the aisle. Sage stayed behind the curtain as she watched the man move up the aisle. Her eyes widened and her breath cut off as she watched, as if in slow motion, the bright beam of light shot down the center of the aisle towards the man. And then she blinked…and he was on the ground, Barry in his flash suit crouching next to him. She didn't have to get closer to see what had happened to him.

He was frozen solid.

"No," Sage whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut to squeeze out the image of the man lying there on the carpet. So still. So frozen. Just like that man in the newspaper…

She clenched her teeth. As Barry ducked his head to inspect the man she slipped off side stage and moved her way through the theatre and out to the front. It was deserted, almost like a ghost town. She carefully closed the door behind her and tried to even her breathing. She didn't have much time before the police showed up.

She looked up to the second floor balcony, letting her eyes roam around and scan the sight for her. She held her breath and waited, listening. Nothing. Briefly pressing against the wall, she made a dash for the stairs.

"Peek-a-boo," Snart's voice taunted from above her.

She saw the flash of light in her peripheral. Sage managed to turn around to see the bright beam flying towards her. Instinctively she held up her hands to block her face only for the familiar white-blue light to shoot out of her own hands, colliding with the other beam. The creaking, popping sounds of ice cracking got louder the longer the beams touched one another. Behind her goggles Sage's eyes were fixated on the sight of a rapidly growing thin wall of ice.

Her arms began to tremble and a bead of sweat slipped down the side of her face. The width of her beam of light began to shrink. Dropping her hands, she dove out of the way of Snart's gun. The ice between them smashed against the ground, sending shards flying everywhere. Sage cried out as her elbows and knees struck the steps beneath her.

"Run little mouse," Snart taunted, holding his gun up again.

Sage held her hands together as if cupping something and pulled them outwards. Between her palms a small ball of ice appeared and grew the further she separated her hands. Once it was big enough she threw the ball at Snart. It was enough for him to jerk his gun out of the way and shift his position to avoid being hit. She took the advantage to get to her feet and run up the stairs.

"Not so fast," Snart growled, shooting off the gun again. Sage ducked as the beam hit the wall above her head. The light fixture attached to the wall exploded, raining glass and ice shards down atop of her. She grew another ice ball between her palms and threw it Snart again. He shot the gun once more. She could feel the cold explode above her head and seep down the back of her neck, making goosebumps arise. "What are you? Some Arrow copycat?"

"I'm the one that's going to stop you," Sage stated, rubbing her tingling fingers together and against her palm.

"How cute," Snart quipped. "Run along home so you won't get hurt."

Sage swallowed to steady her shaky voice. "I'm not going anywhere."

Snart made a scoffing sound. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Snart took aim with the fun and fired. Sage ducked and extended her hand towards the floor where an ice beam shot out and formed a layer over the carpet beneath his feet. His feet slid around a little as he tried to catch his balance. _Oh no, oh no! _Sage's brief smile of victory switched over to an expression of panic as ice beams shot out of her hands in rapid succession. "Stop, stop!" she cried out. She tried curling her fingers in to stop the flow but it wasn't working. Her beams hit the banister, wall fixtures, the stairs, the hanging chandeliers, anything and everything around her but Snart. He grabbed onto the banister behind himself to keep on his feet, his jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched.

"I'm bored of this game," Snart mused aloud. "Why don't you cool down?"

Sage could hear his gun powering up. She looked up to see him pointing it right at her chest. She saw his finger pulling on the trigger. The white-blue beam shot out of his gun. Again, she held up her hands in an effort to block his attack but his was more powerful than hers. A small explosion rocked between their beams. The force knocked Sage backwards and over the railing. Wind rushed by her ears as the high ceiling above her moved further away and she could only watch and brace herself for the collision.

"Oof," she grunted as she fell into someone's arms. Barry's arms. Through his mask she could see the concern settling in his eyes as he looked down on her, breathing heavily from running so fast.

"Sage! Are you alright?" he panted.

"B-Barry," Sage gasped, her voice a light rasp. Her body shook uncontrollably and her chest heaved as she tried to get her breath back. Her eyes drifted down from his face and to her hands and her eyes widened in horror at the sight that stared back at her. Ice slowly encased her fingers and crept up her hands. Her fingers felt so cold it was almost as if someone had stuck them in the middle of a fire. "Barry…help me."

* * *

_**a/n **_\- Well...my plan to update every monday fell at the wayside faster than I thought it would. I apologize for that, I ended up busy between my two jobs! But, this chapter is nice and long to make up for it! And Snart appears! Yay! I hope you all enjoyed it! Felicity came to Central City and we got to see more with Cisco. I'm anxious to hear what you guys thought of this, so please leave a review! Thanks to all those who have fav'd/alerted/reviewed so far!

_Review Replies_

_guest27 _\- I hope this chapter reached your expectations and more! There's more Snart not only in the next chapter but in the rest of the story as well! Stay tuned!

_babyj_ \- I love Eddie so much! I was worried that I was one of the few that would. Man, I was so upset we didn't actually get to see any yelling but I guess that would be out of character for Joe. I hope you liked the chapter. There's more Snart action to come!

_guest_ \- I was wondering how long it would take for someone to point this out. I do already know about Killer Frost and what she can do. There is a point to Sage having ice-based powers as well but I recognize that there is room for me to alter her powers and give her restrictions and the like. I'm working with a superpower wikia to get a better idea of how to handle it. I also want to point out that there are a lot of people in the DC and Marvel comics universe that can control the same element though I do understand it is to varying degrees. I'll work harder from this point on to show differences. Thanks for reviewing!


	11. Flare Up (2)

_**Chapter 10: **_

_**Flare Up**_

Sage didn't know what to do first: give into her self-inflicted punishment and scream in pain, throw up all over S.T.A.R. Labs's floor from having experienced Barry's speed firsthand, or question him about how he knew right away that she was the one beneath the hood. Barry made the choice for her, though it wasn't one that she would have gone for.

"Have you _completely_ lost your mind?" he asked as he set her down on the Lab's gurney. Papers flew off of the desk as Barry blew past them. Felicity's hair blew up from the back and landed back down on her shoulders and she had to tighten her grip on the tablet in her hand to keep it from flying out of her hands. Cisco and Caitlin jumped up from their seats and approached the two.

"Not completely," Sage gasped, holding her hands up in the air. With a grimace she added, "Though I don't think I ever fully had it in the first place."

"You're really making jokes right now?" Barry demanded, crossing his arms. "Sage! You…you're being frozen _alive!_"

"It's not that bad," Sage replied. His eyebrows jumped up and he stared pointedly at her fingers. "Really. It's happened before and was worse then. I just need a heating pad." She blinked rapidly when Caitlin grasped one of her eyelids and pulled it upwards so she could shine a light into her eye. "I just…overexerted myself a little bit, that's all."

Barry pulled down his hood and ran his hands through his matted hair. "That's all," he repeated and he shook his head. "You say that so calmly, like being frozen alive is a normal thing."

"And running faster than a jet is normal?" she shot back. Cisco held a heating pad out to her and she grabbed onto it. Her eyes rolled in her head and she let out a slow breath as if she had just breathed in the scent of fresh baked cookies.

"What were you even doing out there?" He continued, ignoring her comment. "And what are you wearing?" She had opened her mouth to reply but he didn't give her a chance. "What, do you think you're the Arrow or something? You can't just go charging into something you aren't equipped to handle. You could have been hurt. You _are_ hurt!"

"I'm just trying to help," Sage replied, clutching the heating pad tighter. "You weren't around. Am I supposed to just sit back and let people run around the city doing whatever they want?"

Barry sucked in a breath, pressing his palms against his forehead. They watched as he let his breath out only to take another, long slow breath. Only when his breathing returned to normal did he speak, his voice now quieter than before. "I told you to stay here. _Wells_ told you to stay here. He's not saying it to punish you, Sage. He's not trying to keep you out of the 'fun' that you think this is. You don't have a handle over your abilities. You being out there is dangerous not only to yourself but to those around you and—"

"Okay, I get it," Sage interrupted him, her words harsh. "I goofed. I was only trying…I wanted to help Cisco. I thought if – if I went out and stopped someone or something using his tech then Wells wouldn't be so mad at him anymore. He created this suit and it's good. He knows what he's doing! I wanted to help him and I wanted to show you that I can be out there too. I can help. I _want_ to help. You – you said you wanted to find more Metahumans and I'm one of them, right? I can help find and get some more. I can do it. I _know_ I can. I just want a chance."

She held his gaze for a brief moment and then her eyes turned downcast. She kicked her legs back and forth on the gurney and her shoulders tensed and hunched up. Pushing a sigh through his nose, Barry approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hey," he said quietly, earning her attention. "I'm so glad you're okay. Don't think that I'm not. But I'm asking you to _please_ listen to Wells when he says you're not ready. Okay?"

"Okay," she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. He offered up a smile and she gave a weak one in return, leaning into his chest when he wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a hug. As he leaned back he gave her upper arms a squeeze.

"Whoa!" Felicity uttered, breaking the silence in the room. Everyone's head whipped around to her to see a look of pure surprise on her features as she stared at Barry.

"Oh, uhm, yeah." Barry's cheeks flushed and he shuffled his feet. He dropped his hands and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, about that, I just—"

"No, not that," Felicity interrupted him. "Though you do give a good reason not to upset the quiet ones— it's _that!_"

She jabbed her finger in the air to point at him. Sage followed her finger and her eyes dropped down to Barry's side and then she gasped. "You're hurt!"

Those two words caused mass commotion. Harrison seemed to get a jumpstart, wheeling his chair over to Barry in a matter of seconds to look at the side of his suit. He barked out orders to Caitlin to assess the situation amidst Cisco's cries of despair over his suit being damaged. As for Barry, the two words seemed to break the stronghold frustration had on him and the pain came screaming back. He rushed off to take off his suit and came back into the room, lifting the side of his shirt to see the extent of his injury. As Caitlin rushed to check on him, dragging a screen on wheels behind her, Cisco approached Sage.

"I'm sorry," she apologized once he reached her side. She hopped down from the gurney. "I really thought it would work."

"Don't worry about that. I'll, uh, I'll think of something. He can't stay mad at me forever." Cisco's eyes briefly jumped over to Harrison and he shook his head. "But that's not…how aren't you freezing the heating pad right now?"

A noise sounded in the back of her throat as she tried to come up with a fast excuse. The last thing she wanted was for them to worry about her when she was relatively fine. Barry was the one who needed attention more than she did. She had her fill from Barry alone, she didn't need anymore. But still, she knew this was something that they would probably want to know not just too know how to handle her but to get an idea of how the particle accelerator affected them. On the other hand she's been able to manage it on her own for nine months, what's a little more time?

"It just…takes a bit of time for my powers to start up again after that," she replied, jerking her head to motion to the now melting ice bits on the floor. "Like getting feeling back into your fingers after being in the snow." Forcing a small laugh she added, "I guess the fingerless gloves were a bad idea."

He seemed to buy the answer and turned his attention over to Barry. She was thankful he didn't press the issue. She still didn't fully understand the extent of her powers and coming to terms with the fact that her own powers worked against her, and could kill her, wasn't exactly a conversation she was dying to have.

**_# # #_**

"So…you're one of them too? A Metahuman?" Felicity asked, propping her cheek up on her palm. She let out a soft _wow_ under her breath at the thought. In Starling all they had to worry about was someone with a gun or some drug running around to harm people but over in Central City…they had _powers_. Things that she only read about in fantasy books and comic books and dreamt about when she allowed her imagination to get that far.

Reality and technology was her world. She could crack any code placed in front of her in a second, she could hack her way past the toughest of firewalls, hell she could even plant untraceable viruses on people if she wanted to. But this, this blew her mind and tickled her fancy in ways she didn't think was possible anymore. And she thought she saw everything in Starling.

"Yeah," Sage replied, twisting and turning in the swivel chair she had banished herself to once Barry had brought her back to S.T.A.R. Labs. She was out of the way and she was quiet and she sat back as Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison went about their business to try and find a way to track the missing cold gun. Barry had isolated himself after Cisco revealed that he was the one who had built the gun in the first place and she knew not enough time had gone by for her to check on him.

"How did it happen?"

Sage quickly typed out something on her phone and then set it down. "I was coming back from dancing with some friends. The thing exploded, I was knocked unconscious and then woke up in the hospital. Was there for two weeks due to them monitoring my hypothermia and then after that…I had to learn to deal with this." She lifted her gloved covered hands and flexed her fingers to emphasize her point.

"And so…you can't touch anything because you freeze it instantly. And if you overexert yourself, you being to freeze." Felicity tapped her chin and hummed. She leaned forward, looked at Sage over the rim of her glasses and questions shot out of her mouth in rapid-fire. "What happens when it's your time of month? How do you use the bathroom? How do you shower? Does the ice damage your body, like Barry's frostbite? What happens when you sweat? Are your saliva glands affected as well? Do you run warm or cold?"

"Whoa, overload," Sage muttered, briefly glancing at her phone screen when it lit up. She had texted Joe to let him know that she and Barry were still at S.T.A.R. labs and that she'd fill him in on the goings on later. He was another one on the list of those who were upset at her for trying to take on Snart, unsurprisingly.

"Sorry, it's just…I know they're equipped to handle Barry and his powers but are they equipped to handle the fallout of the explosion?" Felicity asked.

"It's been nine months. They have a pretty good poker face so far if they aren't handling things well," Sage replied. "Until today, that is." But it was a fair question and one that made her bite her lower lip. Barry was the focus of Cisco's, Caitlin's, and Harrison's concerns but was that because of his certain altered biological makeup due to the explosion or was it simply because he had been in the coma for so long therefore being the worst victim aside from those who have perished? Was guilt controlling their focus and effectively pushing him in the spotlight?

Felicity's response made her train of thought stop in its tracks. "Something they created had been used against them; the cracks in their armor are justified."

"What would the Arrow do?" Sage asked.

Felicity sat up straighter in her seat. She licked her lips, pressed them together, and then said, "Barry and the Arrow are different people with different experiences driving them. The Arrow would do whatever he felt it took to ensure that the opponent is stopped, even with his weakness presented to him. Barry, on the other hand…he's a sweet boy with a big heart. He's hurt right now and that may get in the way but…I know he'll figure out the right way for him to get through this. A person's weakness is as much of an Achilles heel as they'll let it be."

Sage nodded and slowly leaned back in her seat. "Has anyone ever told you you're a genius?" she asked.

Felicity's eyes dropped down to the table and she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Once or twice," she replied. "Between you and me, I don't get tired of hearing it."

"Doesn't come up often?"

"Not as much as I'd like." Felicity clicked her tongue and added, "Let's just say, me and fetching coffee doesn't mix."

"But drinking it?" Sage asked, lifting her eyebrows.

"Can't live without it." She chuckled. "In fact I was hoping that Barry and I would win trivia night at Jitters. We would have gotten seventy-five dollars worth of cappuccinos."

"You guys…were at trivia night? At Jitters?" Sage asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "Today?"

Felicity nodded. "With Iris and Eddie." Sage's eyebrows now jumped up but Felicity didn't notice the gesture. "He wasn't the best, he tried hard though. I can see why Iris likes him, with that face…" Her words trailed off into a sigh. A moment later she blinked and cleared her throat. "Okay, I'm just…going to find Barry. See how he's doing."

Sage crossed her arms and blew out a breath once Felicity had walked out of the room. She closed her eyes, pressing her eyelids together as if focusing on squeezing them shut would squeeze out the unsettling annoyance that rushed around inside her. She didn't know what was worse: the fact that she was annoyed about them attending Trivia Night at Jitters without her or that she was annoyed at herself for being annoyed. Barry _had_ asked her if she wanted to go, it wasn't as if he knew Trivia Night would be happening. But still, he could have insisted.

Her nose wrinkled. Was it his idea or Iris's? The question hadn't even finished moving through her mind before the answer came to her. Of _course_ it was her cousin's. Barry wouldn't care about the prize. But because Iris suggested it he was at her heels as always. They were best friends, there was nothing wrong with that, but sometimes she wondered if there was room for her.

She jumped out of her seat and started searching through the drawers for Cisco's candy stash. A rush of sugar was just what she needed to swallow her emotions, if only she could find it. She was craving a Twizzler.

"Have you found what you're searching for, Ms. Moreaux?" Harrison asked. Sage's scream of surprise downed out the end of his question. One of his eyebrows lifted at her haste as she closed the drawers she had been going through. "I believe the treat you are looking for is the third drawer from the top, on the left side." He powered his chair to the desk and opened the drawer he had mentioned, removing the package of Twizzlers from it.

"Thanks," she said, taking the package from him. After a little bit of struggle she popped open the bag and pulled one out. She handed the package back to him and he removed a cherry rope himself. "I-I really am sorry. For everything. I just—"

"Ms. Moreaux, I would like your help with something," he interrupted her. "If you could follow me, please."

"Cisco and Caitlin can't help you?" Sage asked and then she took a bite of her candy.

"Oh no, this is something for your expertise." He turned around and headed out of the room. He had a force to his words that made it clear that she was to follow him and do as he asked. She popped the rest of the cherry candy into her mouth, following close behind him.

He lead her out of the room, down a few halls, and then finally brought her to a room that was empty save for a few couches, a table, and a few chairs surrounding the table. On the table was a box holding a puzzle with a picture of the Grand Canyon.

"I would like your help with this," Harrison announced, wheeling up to the table. "I've been attempting this puzzle for a while now and I have not gotten close to completing it. I feel you are the right person to contribute in getting this done."

"You…want me to help you with a puzzle?" Sage asked.

"Yes, that's what I need your help with," Harrison replied. He lifted the lid of the puzzle and set it aside. He poured out the pieces and glanced up at her as she hovered in the door way. "Please, sit. You can't assemble it from there."

Her eyelashes fluttered from her rapid blinking but she did as she was asked. She sat down in the chair opposite him and began sorting the puzzle pieces into two piles: ones with edges and ones without edges. It was a bit difficult picking up the pieces with her gloves but she managed to get a routine in.

"Tell me about yourself, Ms. Moreaux," Harrison spoke up, briefly taking his blue eyes off the small amount of borderline he managed to piece together.

Sage's face pulled into an expression of utmost confusion. She was surprised she didn't pull anything with how hard her muscles were working to hold the expression. First he was angry with Cisco for having made the cold gun and now he wanted her to work on a puzzle with him and to tell him about herself? Either she was living in a dream world or he had been replaced by a pod person.

"Okay, well, um…I'm a senior at CCU where I major in mythology minor in dance. I've been dancing since I was four." She paused to press a stubborn puzzle piece into its slot. "My mom and dad weren't too happy that I pursued it rather than something 'practical'." She made finger quotes around the word. "But that's why I'm going to school here and not at home."

"And where is home?"

"Canada. Montreal to be exact."

"So you speak French, then?"

"_Mais oui_. My dad said he'd deport me if I didn't learn it." She chuckled at the memory. "I think it was supposed to be a joke but he scared me. It's probably why I like hockey too."

She blew out a breath and wrinkled her nose, looking down at the puzzle in front of them again. There were so many pieces. So many _brown_ pieces. They all blended together into one big blob, save for the sliver at blue sky at the top. It kept her eyes from hurting but it didn't stop her from thinking that Dr. Wells was certifiably crazy if he wanted to take the time to sit and work on a _puzzle_ of all things while Snart was out there doing whatever it was he wanted with the cold gun.

"What brings you to Central City?" Harrison asked. He pressed his finger on a piece and it slid in with little effort. "Montreal has its own charm, doesn't it?"

"It does, but my favorite cousin is here. My favorite uncle is here. Barry's here. CCU has a good dance program. Not to mention they don't have Big Belly Burger back home and I like being able to get a burger at two in the morning if I want to." _And, more importantly, my parents _aren't_ here._

"Ah, yes, the seductive pull of Big Belly Burger is a hard one to deny," Harrison said. His shoulders shook with the small laugh that followed his comment. "You've known Barry long?"

"Since I was born," Sage said, a tender smile gracing her lips. "My mom brought me to Central City over the years for visits—my mom is Iris's mom's sister—and I met Barry through Iris."

"And you all are close?"

Her head bobbed from side to side in a noncommittal answer. "Yeah, I'd say so. Barry and Iris are much closer than I am to him but…we've had some good times together." She spun a puzzle piece around in her hand and stared at the constructed image in front of them. She clicked her tongue a few times and tried to brush off the honest sting of her summation of her relationships with Barry and Iris. It was like a slow-healing sunburn; right on the surface and in everyone's face but it didn't hurt until you touched it. And she had just prodded a sore spot. It didn't help that she wasn't on his good side at the moment.

Her focus returned to the puzzle at hand. They worked in silence, the only other sound coming from the random slams of her fist on a piece to get it to fit into its hole. Soon they had the puzzle completed except for one hole. Sage had the puzzle piece that was to fit. She laid it atop of the lining and tried to push it in. it slid across the smooth surface. Her eyebrows furrowed. She pressed harder, her finger bent at the knuckle due to the strain but it still wouldn't go in. Curling her fingers into a fist, she bashed it atop of the puzzle piece but still it sat on top of the picture, mocking her.

Sage pursed her lips and then set the puzzle piece down, leaning back in her seat to regard the older man. "Dr. Wells, I have to ask, _why_ are we putting together a puzzle? Not that I don't find them fun, it's just that I'm more of a mini golf girl myself." Her frustrations boiled over before she could stop herself. It was one thing getting frustrated at a game but a puzzle? The last piece shouldn't be so stubborn.

Harrison took his time to adjust his glasses on his nose and fold his hands together. His lips pressed together into a straight line and he looked at her across the table for a few moments. Then this lips parted and he spoke. "There was a little bit of tension in the room. I felt this was the best way to handle it: remove one piece of the puzzle, as it were." He quietly laughed at his own joke. "You…put not only yourself but Barry in danger today. I know you have apologized for it but I don't think you fully understand what your actions could have caused."

He leaned forward in his seat, his eyes and tone now taking on a manner, "Barry is important to S.T.A.R. Labs. What happened to him could be a key in unlocking the secrets to aiding the longevity of human life, curing diseases, reversing vertebrae damage, creating skin grafts for burn victims to name a few advances. And that can't happen if Barry is taking you out of a situation that you shouldn't have been in in the first place. You're too much of a wild card; one that I can't have being played against Barry now that he knows what can slow him down."

"I would never do anything to hurt Barry," she uttered after a few stuttering attempts.

"Then you'll understand when I ask for you to focus on controlling your abilities rather than going out and playing hero," he continued. She flinched at the bite in his words. He leaned back, pushed a breath out of his nose, and removed his glasses. He set them on the tabletop and made a tent with his fingers. "You have a certain zest for adventure and excitement, which is not a bad thing. But you need to learn how to reel it in and tap into it when the time is right. You need to be patient. Which is why I asked you to complete this puzzle with me."

Sage blinked. "I don't get it."

"See, the thing about puzzles…each piece fits to create the big picture. But sometimes people only see where the pieces go, they don't think about the overall image at the end. Every piece has its place. Every piece has its duty to help create one cohesive unit. If you try to force a piece in…" he nodded to the uncompleted puzzle, "the picture will come out distorted. Staying patient and looking at the big picture"—he reached into his pocket and removed an identical puzzle piece to the one that was sitting on the board. He brushed the other one aside and pressed his piece into the puzzle amidst Sage's bewilderment. The piece fit perfectly—"the final piece will find its way in right where it belongs when it's ready." He lifted a finger and added with a distinct air of finality, "But not a second sooner."

**# # #**

The glossy photo of Leonard Snart stared up at the ceiling. His piercing eyes bore through the black and white image of him holding onto a board with his information on it. Eddie stared long and hard at the picture. Snart had been a sort of myth over in Keystone. Like Bigfoot, only more notorious. He was the Moby Dick of criminals, always within reach but somehow slipped out of their grasp. Snart was the top prize; whoever could get him would go down in history.

And Eddie wanted that to be him.

He was making his mark at the CCPD and this would surely set him over the top. He got some muggers here and some thieves there but those were nothing like the infamous Leonard Snart. Getting him would be like outsmarting him. He heard stories of how well planned the thief was and being able to throw a wrench in his plans—actually _being_ the wrench—would cement his place within the CCPD. He had the skills and the background for people to take him seriously but now he needed the win to get Joe to finally accept him as his partner.

Eddie stretched his arms above his head and leaned back in his chair. His eyes moved around the room and rested on the display of their fallen officer and Joe's old partner. He twisted his mouth to the side and rubbed a hand along his mouth. His stubble brushed against his palm, tickling his skin. He was no Chyre but that didn't mean Joe had to hold him to the same standards. He was hired for a reason and he was determined to show Joe why that was and that he was good enough to date his daughter.

Leaning forward in his seat once more, he began to peruse Snart's file. He thought some sort of pattern would come out of it but Snart was smarter than he gave him credit for. He didn't hit any place twice and he left enough time between his thefts that it was hard for one to guess his next target. The only thing they had to go off of was Snart's persistence. What were Joe's words? "Once he goes after something he doesn't stop until he gets it".

He should be at the museum, it made more sense to wait there for Snart but Joe insisted that he go back to the precinct and gather as much information as he can. But Eddie knew it was just to keep him out of the way. Waiting for something that may not even happen wasn't his idea of how to spend a night. He much would rather go back to Trivia Night; at least he could spend time with Iris.

"Eddie, Snart spotting at the museum," Joe announced as he burst into Eddie's office. "Let's go. We can cut him off before he escapes."

"Yes!" Eddie couldn't contain the smile on his face. Finally he didn't have to sit around bored! He could capture Snart and impress Joe in the process. He'd have to accept him and Iris being together after that. He checked to make sure his gun was loaded and then put the safety on before sliding it into his holster. Double checking that he had his badge on him, he followed Joe out of the precinct and down to the waiting van.

"I don't think so," Joe muttered, edging Eddie aside to get to the driver's side of the van.

Eddie stopped in his tracks, staring at Joe. "Really?" he asked, throwing his arms out.

"Eddie, just get in," Joe ordered. He climbed into the driver's seat and yanked on the seatbelt. He had the car engine roaring and had taken off the parking brake. As soon as Eddie closed the door Joe took off, barely giving him enough time to put on his seatbelt and get comfortable. He had to hold onto the roof handle to keep from being tossed around with how fast Joe was driving. The spinning blue and red lights atop of the van filtered in through the window and slid across Eddie's face in succession.

His fingers tapped against the handle as they rode in silence. His heart thumped in his chest as it always did before a confrontation with a suspect. It was when fight or flight took a hold. It separated the strong from the weak and, for him, it gave him an adrenaline rush that he didn't feel when riding a roller coaster or sky diving. Those two couldn't even compare. Add in the fact that he was saving lives in the process, it was the best job in the world and he wouldn't trade it for anything. It tested him day in and day out and made him only come out stronger in the end, made him into a person he could be proud of. And hopefully a person his father could be proud of too.

The crackling radio pulled Eddie out of his thoughts and broke his trance-like stare on the road. His eyes swiveled over to the radio just as Joe's did. He shifted his breathing to his nose, just in case his mouth-breathing was a little too loud. He didn't want to miss the report that came in. "All available units, suspect spotted at Central City train station."

"10-4. In pursuit," Joe said into the speaker. He put it back and jerked the wheel to the right. Eddie's grip tightened on the handle but his head slammed into the glass. "Sorry," Joe grunted, his eyes on the road.

"Something tells me that you're not," Eddie groaned, rubbing the side of his head. But the pain was pushed to the backburner as he focused on the police protocols that he was soon going to follow if he wanted to take Snart down.

Before he knew it they had arrived at the train station. People milled about the entrance, taxis lined up in queues, and muffled announcements from the train's PA system enveloped the building. Joe pulled up behind a taxi and cut off the engine. Eddie had to take a few deep breaths to get his mind and focus in the right place. Then he pushed open the door and said with child-like glee, "We got Snart."

But before Eddie could progress into the building Joe held him back with his hand and said, "Wait here for back up."

"Wait for back up? No way."

"That's an order."

A protest died on his tongue as Eddie stared after his partner. Gaped, really. His mouth hung so low a fly could have moved in and out without him noticing. He kicked at the ground and ran a hand through his hair. This was his job, how could he be grounded like that? He knew his stuff. He knew how to handle a gun. He wouldn't have risen to the rank of a detective as quickly as he did if he were bad at his job. He wouldn't have his pristine track record if he were bad at his job.

"Fuck that," Eddie muttered beneath his breath. Tightening his grip on his gun, he ran inside the train station after his partner. People darted out of his way and ran off at the sight of the weapon in his hand. He moved quickly, his eyes darting up and down the platforms in search for their suspect. Joe had briefed him on Snart and his weapon—which he still felt came out of a science fiction book—but he wasn't afraid to stand face to face with a cold gun if it meant no one went home in a body bag.

He ducked behind nearby pillars, peeking around every now and then to see where Snart was. The furry hood of his jacket bobbed in and out of sight. "Go, go. Keep going. Get somewhere safe," he whispered to those near him, taking one hand off his gun to wave them away. Not that the innocent bystanders needed to be told twice to leave. They took one look at his gun and ran off.

His heart jumped into his throat at the sight of Snart's back. He was so close… Flicking the safety off with his thumb, Eddie moved swiftly. His finger curled against the trigger but kept the pressure off. The last thing he wanted to do was blow off his foot in his haste and—

_Shit!_ In one fluid movement, Eddie lifted his gun, aimed, and took a shot at Snart. Chunks from the column by his head flew out in all directions from the bullet shooting through it. He ducked out of the way as Eddie ran up. If the situation weren't so dire he'd smirk at Joe and click his heels at the bewildered expression on Joe's face alone.

"I'm your _partner_, not your assistant," Eddie stated. He didn't wait to see Joe's reaction as she chased after Snart. The two followed the thief onto a train platform and could only stare as he stepped onto a train with ease. Eddie slowly lowered his gun and watched as the train picked up speed and flew down the tracks into the distance. His shoulders slumped and his heart fell. He almost had it. His ticket to gaining Joe's respect, gone. Just like that. Huffing a breath, he shifted his gun to safety and put it back into his holster. "What now?" Eddie asked.

"He got what he wanted. He's gone," Joe stated. "We'll just have to wait for him to show his face again and nab him next time."

"We?" Eddie repeated, turning to face Joe. "You mean you'd actually let me out of the car next time?" Joe didn't reply. "I'm part of the precinct, Joe. I was placed as your partner. That doesn't mean you can keep me from doing my job. I know I'm not Chyre but—"

"This has nothing to do with Chyre," Joe interrupted him.

"It doesn't?" Eddie scoffed. "I've heard stories about him. About his work and his successes. I know it's hard to lose a partner. But you can't compare me to him or…or whatever it is you're doing. I want to do my job and you're getting in the way of it. If this is about me and Iris—"

"No, Eddie, this is about _you_," Joe interrupted once more.

Eddie's argument stalled in the back of his throat. He exhaled, his shoulders slumping and blinked rapidly. "I…I don't follow."

"I know about you, Eddie. What, did you think I didn't do my research on my new partner? Get a background check?" Joe placed his gun in his holster and crossed his arms. He widened his stance a little and stared his partner down. "Yes, I admit, part of me wanted to keep you out of the way so nothing could happen to you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself or look Iris in the eye if you—my second partner—got hurt or worse. But I know about your reputation back in Keystone. I know how you operated. This isn't Keystone, Eddie. You can't just go running around thinking you know everything and that you will come out on top. You will be outsmarted, you will be taken down, and you will be put in danger. Not just you, but everyone around you. If you want to be a big shot go right ahead, but you can't do it at the expense of others."

"I know that! I wouldn't be in this line of work if I didn't," Eddie huffed. "I'm not the same as I was before. You won't give me a chance to show you that. If we're going to work together and protect this city you have to give me that much."

A train whistle blew. The _chug-chug-chug_ of a slow moving train hummed in the background of the crowded platform. Joe licked his lips, studying his young partner. Finally he scratched at his head and muttered, "We need to call into the department. Let them know what's going on."

"Fine," Eddie sighed. Joe held his gaze for a few seconds and then turned on his heel. Eddie followed him. There was no sense in pressing the issue; Joe was as stubborn as a mule. But that didn't matter, Eddie still felt like he won. He stood his ground and stuck up for himself.

His past-self would be proud.

**# # #**

Leonard tossed the diamond up into the air and caught it with ease only to send it back up into the air. His eyes, however, were trained on his companion as he looked over his new gun. A manic sort of smile was embedded into his face as he tested it out, nearly setting some curtains ablaze. The curtains that Leonard had taken time to pick out for the ambiance of the place but he kept quiet. There were far more important things for him to worry about.

Such as his next prize. The Khandaq diamond was a good treasure but not good enough. He had to go bigger. Reach a higher goal. Once he plateaued, well, what was the point of it all? The rush would die and then, well, there would be no sense in him continuing to go around and steal things. The ease of it made everything more appealing but then _he_ got in the way. The _Streak_.

The diamond smacked into Leonard's palm and he squeezed it. If he didn't have the world's hardest mineral in his hands it probably would have shattered in his fury-filled grip. Those kids…did they honestly think that their light up machine was going to stop him? He knew their faces. He knew they worked with The Streak or whatever asinine name he was running with (no pun intended). The number one rule in the criminal rule book could now be used against him.

Oh, how they made things easy for him.

"Careful, Mick…that's not a toy," Leonard commented watching as Mick ran around, holding his gun up in random directions as if facing invisible enemies. "You don't want to take your eye out."

"What's the plan? I can't wait to see their faces…" Mick stared lovingly at the gun in his hand, petting it almost as if it were a lover. "I wonder how hot skin has to be before it melts off."

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Can't ask yourself that question? You being an expert on burns," he drawled, an eyebrow lifting at the question. He didn't wait for Mick to reply as he stalked over to a computer sitting in the room. "Simmer down. We have…a little insurance we need to take care of first. The Streak is out there, but there is someone else running around too. Someone else who has…_abilities._"

His eyes narrowed as he thought back to the theatre, thought back to that vigilante of sorts that stepped up to him; went toe-to-toe with him. Had ice abilities of their own that didn't come from a cold gun. And, more importantly, had a connection to The Streak.

"Before we do anything else, we need to do one thing." He placed his hands on the table around the computer and leaned forward. The glow from the computer screen lit up his face but he didn't dare blink as he looked Mick in the eye. "_Find them_. And bring them here. They'll come in handy…one way or another."

* * *

_**a/n** _\- That finale, guys. That. Finale. Oh my gosh! That's how you end a season! The Arrow writers need to take note. I was so sad to see that Eddie died, he's one of my favorite characters. But Tom Cavanaugh and Grant Gustin stole the episode, hands down. They were the best part. I enjoyed having Ronnie back but I kinda wish he did a little more. But gaahhh! I can't wait until October to see what they do with the next season! How many timelines are we going to deal with? Is Tom still playing Eobard or would he be portraying the _real_ Wells? And how does the blackhole/timeline issue affect Arrow and their timeline?

So many questions, so little time.

Anyway! This chapter marks the beginning of deviations I mentioned in the first chapter. Leonard and Mick will play a bigger part, I can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store. What did you think of this chapter? The aftermath and Wells's analogy? We got to learn a little more about Sage and her background. How about Joe and Eddie at the train station? I wish we saw more from their side, I always thought that there was more to Joe making Eddie stay behind that they never touched on but should have so I tried to do my best with it here.

Also, thanks to those who fav'd and alerted this story and thanks to all those that review! I appreciate that you all stick around and wait patiently for me to update. It means a lot to know that you all are still enjoying this story.

_Review Replies_

_guest27 - _Thank you so much for your kind words! They help me strive to continually improve my writing and my storytelling abilities. As for why Sage can't control her powers, that answer will come soon! Stick around to find out!

_babyj_ \- Simply put, I didn't want to have her have the same abilities as all the other Ice powered people from the comics. Having her be able to turn to Ice in the same vein as Iceman or Colossus with his powers, I felt, would be too easy. There had to be a setback somewhere with her abilities, why not having her own abilities turn against her? Much like how some people's own personalities or talents can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. The reason behind her body adapting slowly will be revealed in a future chapter, not too far into the future, mind you, but the answer will come. I can't just give everything away! :) Thanks for taking the time to review!


	12. Step by Step

**_Chapter 11: _**

**_Step by Step_**

Iris's fingers flew over her keyboard as she typed up another entry on her blog. This time it was about reports of a burning man. This was even better than the supernatural books she pored over when she was younger. Werewolves and vampires and other creatures were one thing, but this was a man on _fire_. And yet he didn't seem to burn or be in pain, she couldn't make this up.

Every time she opened up the drafts in her blog for another update she couldn't help but see that the visitor count increased each time. What started out as something small now became bigger than she imagined. People were actually _listening_ to her. It filled her with a rush she couldn't help but chase. After all, she was putting the word out there that sometimes the impossible isn't impossible. Now if only Barry could believe in that again…

"…Spotters last place the Burning Man beneath an overpass just on the outskirts of the city. Perhaps he has a local hangout where he could be spotted? Though I don't suggest you go looking for him. It seems to me, like The Streak, we have another savior on our hands," Iris muttered beneath her breath as she typed the closing paragraph to her blog post. Sometimes she felt crazy talking aloud as she typed but it was the only way she could hear how her articles sounded before submitting them, writing blogs were the same for her. At any rate she was glad no one else was sitting near her in the study center. It was bad enough Eddie made fun of her; she didn't need complete strangers doing it too.

"Alright, Dreamers, any new news on The Streak?" she muttered while typing into the chat box on her site. She sat back in her chair and waited for anyone to come up with any sort of information on their masked savior. It was nice to have a little hope in the slowly rebuilding city. While everyone seemed to go back to their own sense of normalcy there was still the low-hanging cloud of loss over the city's head due to the explosion.

Right after the explosion, hardly a day went by without some sort of outrage in the wake of the incident being reported on. Most of them were small instances: posts online, graffiti on alley walls, hollow claims for acts of revenge by those who initially protested the Particle Accelerator and then those who lost family members due to it. Every once in a while something bigger occurred: banks that invested in S.T.A.R. labs were attacked, ex-employees were stalked and threatened, and cars and homes were vandalized. At one point they were all given their own police escort but as time went on the incident became a thing of the past.

But for Iris it shaped her past, present, and future. She couldn't forget how excited Barry was to see it turn on. She couldn't forget the smile that lit up his face, much like a kid on Christmas as they stood in front of the one and only Dr. Harrison Wells. She couldn't forget his laugh of glee and him standing at rapt attention and absorbing every word that came out of the scientist's mouth.

And then…all that was gone in an instant as he was put in a coma and everything changed. She turned her focus onto her school work, her father worked as little days as possible at the precinct to watch over him, and her cousin all but disappeared into the night. On most days she could pretend, lie to herself even, that he was just out of town or on some trip. But it sucked knowing that, sometimes, all she wanted to do was run to Barry and rant or rave about her day but she couldn't. Instead she got to look forward to seeing him with IVs and machines connected to him. And it was all because that thing had to turn on.

It was amazing how one thing could be a blessing and a curse.

"C'mon guys, nothing?" Iris sighed, throwing her arms into the air. More comments popped up in the small chat box but they weren't about anything whether or not The Streak was actually living up to his name in more ways than one. Blowing a breath out of her mouth which caused her lips to vibrate, she leaned back and rubbed at her eyes.

It seemed as if she's the only one taking The Streak seriously. Even her journalism teacher was beginning to turn away from the mock articles she turned in for assignments. But how could something like this be swept under the rug in such an easy fashion when new spotter reports came out every day? He stopped zoo animal attacks, a crazy circus ringleader, saved people from a derailed train, people from burning buildings. Not only was there The Streak now but the Burning Man. And now some people were claiming reports from someone that could shoot beams from their hands. What more proof could they need that he existed? What more proof could they need to see that the impossible _was_ possible? If strange things could happen in Starling, strange things can happen in Central.

Humming, Iris clicked over to a new tab and brought up Google, typing into the blank space: _Starling City Incidents 2013. _It didn't take her long to find something to briefly whet her insatiable investigative appetite: reports on a Dollmaker and his victims, the Huntress and her vendetta against a crime family, the two Vertigo outbreaks, Dodger, The Savior, Shrapnel, Mirakuru, the Undertaking, and on and on. All stories that Barry had followed once before that she had thought were a bit out there at the time.

_How the tables turn…_

Iris picked up her discarded phone and pressed a button on the side to illuminate the screen and check the time only to bring up a picture of Eddie and herself. It was taken at one of Central City's fairs atop of the ferris wheel a few months after the explosion. Eddie had convinced the operator for them to stop at the top so they could watch the sunset. It was the first real fun she had in a while, the first time she genuinely smiled in a while. That night sure was fun…

It hit her like a lightning bolt. Fun! That's what everyone needed! Everyone had become so…serious, lately, especially after the recent Snart sighting. A good night of fun was just what the doctor ordered. Swiping the screen with her thumb, she then pressed and held the number 3 until speed dial went through.

"Hey, Iris. Have I ever told you how much I love hearing your voice?" Eddie said as soon as he picked up.

"Not as much as I love hearing yours," Iris replied, grinning. If she were using a corded phone she'd spin her finger in the wired ringlets. "Hey, what are you doing tonight?"

"I don't know, spending time with you?"

"Annnd Barry," Iris filled in, biting down on her lip.

"Okay…wasn't expecting that."

"I know. But I haven't hung out with him in a while and you and Barry haven't had a chance to get to know each other. So, I was thinking…darts! Come on, there's an Irish bar I've always wanted to check out. And I've always wanted to kick your butt in darts."

"Iris, I'm a police officer. We're known for our marksmanship. If anyone's going to kick anyone's butt, I'll be kicking yours."

"That sounds like a threat, Mr. Thawne. Are you willing to see this little competition out tonight? Say yes. I'll make it worth your while."

"Iris, every day I get to spend with you is worth my while," Eddie replied, chuckling. "I'm in. So, Barry's coming?"

"I haven't asked him yet but I'm sure he'll say yes. I was going to let him invite his friends too, the one's that saved his life? He's been spending a lot of time with them and I want to know more about them too. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Iris, you don't need to ask my permission."

"I know that, I just didn't want to blindside you. Oh, and I'm inviting Sage too."

"Iris, invite whoever you like. Whoever's important to you are important to me too. I'll just let know Joe what we're up to incase something comes up."

"Great! Let's meet at the bar say around seven?"

"That's perfect. I'm counting down the hours."

Giggling, Iris bid Eddie goodbye and hung up the phone. She then called up her number 4 speed dial and waited for the line to be picked up. Right as she was sure that she would have to leave a message the line was picked up. "Iris! Hey! Sorry, I couldn't find my phone, it's under…so much mess," Barry muttered. She could almost see him rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly as his nose wrinkled like a rabbit's.

"Didn't Captain Singh talk to you about cleaning up your office once before?" Iris teased.

"More than once, yeah. It just kinda…blows all over the place, I move so fast sometimes." Iris laughed along with Barry as she tugged on the ends of her hair. "So…what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's great. I just…I miss you, Bare," she replied. Her eyes swiveled around the room as she listened to Barry's breathing on the other end of the line. He was quiet for so long that she had to check to make sure the call hadn't been dropped.

"I…I miss you too, Iris," he finally replied. "I've just been so busy with work and…and stuff. I'm sorry if you felt like you've been on the backburner. Things just got really busy around here and—"

"Barry, it's alright, I understand," Iris cut in, stopping him in midrant. "I haven't exactly been putting a lot of effort into hanging out with you either. Which is why, tonight, we're going to a bar. An Irish bar, even. Time to try something new and I want my best friend at my side while I do it."

"A bar, huh? Yeah, I could go for a drink. That sounds like a great idea."

"Great! You can invite your friends too. The ones from S.T.A.R. Labs. Eddie's coming along so I thought it was only fair you can bring someone too."

"Oh, Eddie's coming. Great."

Iris's eyebrows furrowed. She pulled her phone away from her ear and stared at it for a moment. Barry's ID picture of him sticking out his tongue looked back at her. "Do you not want him to come?"

"No! No, it's not that. No, I uh, it's just…I didn't expect it. He doesn't really seem like…the drinking guy. Straight lace and all that."

Iris laughed. "Eddie likes his alcohol as much as the next person. He's a big wine guy, in fact. I never knew that. I always thought he was a beer guy. But he says he wants to own his own winery one day and—"

"I'll ask Cisco and Caitlin if they want to come," Barry interrupted her.

"You're not going to ask Dr. Wells? I'm sure he could go for a night of debauchery like the rest of us." She tried to hold her laugh in but when she heard Barry cracking up on the line she dissolved into laughter as well.

"Yeah, I don't think 'Wells' and 'debauchery' go together," Barry said, his laughter slowly subsiding. "We'll meet you there."

"At seven. And _don't_ be late!"

"C'mon, Iris, you know me. I'm _never_ late."

Shaking her head, Iris rolled her eyes despite knowing that Barry couldn't see her. "Yeah, whatever Barry. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Iris."

Iris ended with call with a tap of her thumb and then focused on her computer. She minimized her browser window and pulled up her homework for her creative nonfiction class. It wasn't too hard, all she had to do was map out the major events of her life, look for patterns, and then write an essay based on a period of time of her life made an impact on her present and how she presents herself to her friends, family, and acquaintances. There were plenty that she could choose from but the one that she could always find herself coming back to was the one topic she never breeched with her father: her mother.

She had stood in front of the mirror many times trying to see which parts of her mother she inherited: her eyes? Her nose? Her smile? Her laugh? Her personality? Or was she split down the middle and equal parts her father and equal parts her mother? All she wanted to do was sit down and talk with her father about her mother but he dodged the subject almost as badly as he dodged the topic of her starting to date a few years ago.

Maybe if she tried asking again her father would help, being that it was for her essay. But then she pursed her lips at the idea. If her father could give her the cold shoulder just from dating his partner, he could give a worse one about asking about her mother.

"_There_ you are!" Iris looked up to see Sage weaving in between the tables. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Well, here I am. I'm just getting some homework and stuff done," Iris replied, motioning to her computer. "What's up?"

"I just got done talking to my mythology professor and wanted to know if you wanted to go to Jitters. I'm having withdrawals." She held out her hand in front of Iris's face. "D'you see that? It's shaking. I need caffeine now."

Iris lowered the lid of her laptop before replying, "You know you can get coffee from the dining hall, right?"

"I can't use your discount at the dining hall. And their biscottis are always stale."

"Ooh, yeah, nothing can ruin coffee more than stale biscotti." Iris packed her computer and notebook into her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She then looped her arm with her cousin's and the two walked out of the building dedicated to the fine arts at CCU.

They easily meshed in with the slow moving pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. The bright sun bounced off the glass on the buildings around them, sparkling as if glitter had been adorned. Iris missed being able to enjoy the beautiful, warm days but graduate work was much heavier than she expected, especially in the journalism track. Not to mention working at Jitters has taken up the other part of her day and the only free time she had she spent studying or with Eddie.

Her mouth twisted to the side. Yes, this night with Barry and their friends was much needed. She could relax and see her best friend at the same time; it was a win-win. And this way she could talk to him more about The Streak and the information she gathered on the weirdness around Central City. He'd have to see what she was talking about now. And maybe her father and Eddie would believe her too. Her mother would have believed her…

"Hey, Sage, do you remember anything about my mom?" Iris asked.

Sage snorted. "Iris, I was barely alive when she died. The only thing I know about Auntie Ivy is that she has a sister and without her I wouldn't have the best cousin in the world." She knocked her shoulder against Iris's and chuckled. "Just don't mention that to the others. They might get jelly."

"I won't, I promise," Iris said with a little laugh. "But your mom never told you anything about her? Interests? Stories?"

"Nah, not really. Whenever I bring her up my mom gets upset and changes the subject. Same if I try to talk about Ms. Nora." Sage's nose wrinkled. "Why? You have a family tree project you need to do or something?"

"No, I just…started thinking about her a lot lately," Iris replied. "I miss her. I just…want to talk to her again. I wish she were here so I can tell her about my journalism and…and The Streak and Eddie and everything. She would have been…so interested in this stuff, y'know?"

"Now I see where you got your investigating buzz from," Sage commented. "Now I know why people think we're nosy."

"Hey, it's in our blood. Might as well own it," Iris said with a laugh. She licked her lips, briefly glanced up at the sky, and then down at her feet. "You believe me, right?" At Sage's confused hum she continued, "About The Streak and everything? That there's something or…or _someone_ out there helping protect the city?"

Sage was quiet for a moment before replying, "You know how people believe in God and other spiritual beings to make them feel better and give them purpose and give them some sort of hope for themselves and for the world?" Iris nodded. "I think The Streak is the same thing for some other people, giving them hope that everything will be okay in the end. And I don't see the problem with believing in someone that does that for someone. People need something or someone to believe in, it makes us all stay sane. We need a few more sane people around here."

"Thank you," Iris whispered.

"For what?"

"For not making me feel crazy."

"Cuzzo…you do that by yourself. You don't need my help."

Iris tried to be offended but she couldn't help but join along with her cousin's laughter. The talk switched to memories of running around and catching fireflies during the summer and trying to get Barry to play house with them and trying to eat ice cream before the hot sun made it melt all over them. By the time they reached Jitters they were skipping down the sidewalk and singing their favorite songs at the top of their lungs.

"Caramel Macchiato, I was wondering when I'd see you again," the barista behind the counter commented as soon as Sage stepped up to it. Hearing this, the other barista began to make her drink. "How long has it been…a day?"

"Ha ha," Sage replied over the noise of the whirring machine. "It's been two. That's a record."

"I've noticed."

"It's on Iris," she added once she accepted the cup from the barista whose nametag read Averey. Ignoring the amused look Iris was shooting her way, she hunched over her cup, breathing in the steam and walked off to get a table.

"How are you not broke yet?" Averey asked.

"It's a trade off. I feed her coffee addiction, she feeds my brownie addiction," Iris replied. "I'll take a biscotti, too." She dug into her purse and pulled out her wallet, putting the money she counted out down on the shiny wooden top and a few extra in the tip jar. "I'll see you later, alright?"

"Later, mate."

Iris took her coffee and snack and sat down in the high seat across from her cousin. She carefully blew across the top of her hot drink and risked a sip, flinching as the scorching drink burnt her tongue. She always did that. She knew it was hot but she always had to take the chance. She wasn't patient enough for it to cool down.

"Ice?" Iris looked up to see an ice cube sitting in the middle of Sage's palm. "It'll help your tongue."

"How did you…?" Iris let her unfinished question die as she took the ice cube and held it on her tongue. The instant relief made her shoulders sag in appreciation. "Are you buys tonight?" She asked around the cube.

"I mean, I have dance practice. Ooh! Lemme tell you, we're holding this formal of sorts to raise money for our showcase. It'll be like _Dancing with the Stars._ The showcase, not the formal. We get paired up and perform foxtrots and sambas and waltzes and everything. It was one of the teachers' ideas; I think her name is Cadence. I got extra tickets. It's only $5 each. You and Eddie can come."

"What about Barry?" Iris ventured. All at once the light in Sage's eyes went out. "Come on, S, it's been a week and you're still angry at him over…what did he do? You never even told me."

"For one, Bartholomew can't dance so he doesn't need to come. And for another, I'm not telling you because you'll only take his side. And after careful consideration I've decided he's wrong, I'm right and he's a jerk." She then grabbed her coffee and took a long swig of it.

"How did you not burn your tongue? That stuff must be piping," Iris commented, her eyes shifting from the drink to her cousin's face. "Unless you burnt all feeling out of your tongue, which wouldn't surprise me at this point."

"Why'd you ask if I was busy?" Sage asked, her tone clipped which signaled that she wanted the subject changed and kept that way.

"We're going to a bar," Iris replied. Sage's eyebrow quirked. "Me and Eddie. Wanted to see if you wanted to come."

"As long as Bartholomew's not going, I'm in. Can Lennox come? I promised her a night out; she's chomping at the bit to have a good drink."

"Sure, the more the merrier."

Iris bit her lip. How bad could things get if she just kept quiet about Barry going as well? They were all friends, even if one of them was angry with the other. It'd all blow over soon. No one could stay mad at Barry for long, anyhow.

No matter how many times he was late to their functions she could always find a way to forgive him. Plus, it was hard to stand strong against his puppy dog pout. They'd get over their little tiff sooner or later, and so what if she needed to push a little bit to make it sooner rather than later?

"So, anyway, about The Streak, I was thinking…the next time something happens to go to the crime scene and see if I can spot him," Iris continued, leaning forward so she wouldn't be overheard.

"Don't you already do that?"

"Well, yes, but this time I'm going to get closer. Before all the police tape and stuff goes up. Maybe I can get a glimpse of his face. Figure out why he's saving the city instead of, I don't know, breaking world records. And this Burning Man, imagine if I could run into him. Figure out how he can handle the heat. And there's this new girl—"

Sage shifted in her seat and said, interrupting, "Your hunger is insatiable, isn't it?"

Iris smiled and took another sip of her coffee. It was that and it was the one connection she had to her mother and she wasn't going to give that up anytime soon.

**_# # #_**

The infamous opening beats of Vanilla Ice's _Ice, Ice Baby_ bounced around the cluttered room. Amongst the dust and newspapers, parts and pieces were strewn about the floor in rows. Screws, nuts, bolts, wires, LEDs, plastic casings, and many more pieces that Snart knew nothing about how they helped power the gun a mere hour before. He studied every piece carefully, knowing how they fit together and how they worked together to power the gun. It took some time to get it apart but now, as he let his steel blue eyes sweep over the pieces before him he was sure it wouldn't be too hard to put it back together. That is, without having Mick Rory huffing and puffing down his neck.

"Mick…stop it," Snart ordered, straightening his posture in the chair. "I shouldn't have to know that you ate Hot Fries sometime today."

Behind him, Mick grunted and crossed his arms. "When are we going to get out? When are we going to get out there and do something? You promised me, Snart. You _promised_ I'd get to burn something."

Slapping his hands upon the table, Snart stood with such ferocity that the chair he had been sitting in toppled over backwards and clattered against the floor. He turned around and directed his hard gaze on his partner, pressing his lips together. "Like I told you…all in due time. We can't just rush into this. We need to plan."

"Plans take too long!" Mick protested. "Why don't we just go in, set a few fires, and steal the stuff we want? Torch anyone that comes in our way." A manic smile slowly appeared on his face. "Hear the hair sizzle as flames eat it up like straw…watch the skin bubble and pop as the fire licks across the skin…watch as the flames wrap around and coil up the body like a snake…"

Snart rolled his eyes, picked up the abandoned gun on the table and then pressed the muzzle of the gun against the bottom of Mick's chin. "Take it apart…and put it back together," he ordered. His voice as hard and cold as his eyes. "Unless you would like this used against you…on the other 50% of your skin that was left untouched."

"Do it," Mick all but hissed through clenched teeth, his eyes lighting up. "_Do it_. _Burn me_." He salivated at the idea. Snart's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly at the sight of a drop of drool on his lip. "Pull the trigger, Snart. Do it."

"And let you run around burning this place down and ruin the entire plan? Like _last_ time?" Snart blew a breath out of his nose and replaced the heat gun beneath his chin with a real one that he pulled from his waistband. "Now do you _really_ think I'm going to take that chance?"

The fire in Mick's eyes died as his locked with Snart's. He pressed his lips together and swallowed when Snart jabbed the gun upwards. Mick could feel it beneath his tongue. Snart removed the gun and slapped the heat gun back into his palm. "Now take it apart and put it back together. Your weapon is only good if you know how to use it."

He picked up the fallen chair righted it. Setting the gun on the table, he then got to work reassembling the cold gun. His mind worked in reverse after having taken the gun apart to put it back together. It helped that he had an eidetic memory. It was a blessing and a curse.

He could recall little bits of information that he read just once, years ago even. He remembered where he was, what time it was, what he was wearing at any event in his life, such as the birth of his younger sister. He remembered everything anyone has ever said to him, good or bad. It echoed in his head and played again and again like a broken record if he recalled it. Especially the scathing remarks from his father.

Those words could never be forgotten. They left scars on his brain and had battered his now cold heart. 'Freak', 'weirdo', 'useless', 'psycho', 'bitch', 'creep', 'loser', and 'motherfucker' were the most common offenses. He could still hear his father's gravelly voice shouting at him, echoing around in the dark recesses of his mind, not leaving any corner unscathed. He could still feel the spit landing on his face as his father towered over him. He could still feel the way his shirt collar rubbed against his neck as his father grabbed at him. He could still hear the loud slap of the back of his father's hand connecting with his cheek. He could still hear his father clamber up the stairs after one of his long nights as he and Lisa hid in the back of his closet.

Snart pushed a breath out of his nose and studied his half built gun. His eyes flickered up to rest on Mick who was sitting on the floor tinkering with his gun much like a little kid. Snart half expected for the gun to blow up in his face. In fact, he couldn't wait for that to happen. Maybe then he'd actually listen and do as he was told instead of being so impatient. He'd ruin all his plans. It was a risk taking Mick on but he needed him for his plans to work. But that didn't mean he wasn't expendable.

Snart twisted his wrist, glancing at the watch that was attached to it and then clasped his hands together. "Three…two…one," he counted off. As soon as he finished a door behind him opened and, for a brief moment, a smile appeared on his face but it disappeared a moment later as the man entering moved around the table until he was in Snart's line of sight.

"Well?" Snart asked. It was a simple word but it carried a lot of weight. It even made Mick look up from what he was doing.

"I did what you asked, Snart. You were right; I got her routine down in a matter of days," the man reported. "Classes from eight until noon, dance classes from one to three, IT work Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She is always at Jitters by 12:25 for a cup of coffee on weekdays. She is at the Irish bar tonight. Things are winding down from what I can tell."

"Good." Snart looked at his watch again. It would take exactly ten minutes and twenty-seven seconds with traffic for them to get into the city and into position. There was the slight hitch with the bar but that didn't ruin his plan completely. He had to alter it a little bit but it could all still work out. It wasn't the immediate plan one was to look at but the long-term goal. It was why he waited a week to set this plan in motion. Most of his setups were easy but this one took the cake. With just a name he just managed to overhear was able to figure out everything he needed to know about his target.

It was child's play.

"Mick, I imagine I don't need to tell you to stay here," Snart said as he stood. He picked his gun off the table, checked to see if there were any bullets in the magazine, and then pumped the top. He then shoved the gun between his side and the waistband of his pants. "But considering who I'm _speaking_ to…"

Mick grumbled while extending his arms, holding up his middle fingers on both hands. The corner of Snart's mouth twitched but then his normal stoic expression returned to his face. He nodded to the man and followed him out of the building. The cold gun could wait for now.

He followed the man outside and jumped onto the motorcycle waiting as the other man got into a car. He fastened his helmet and waited for the car to take off in front of him. The ride was exactly as he expected, smooth and with a little traffic. He got there exactly ten minutes and twenty-seven seconds as he had calculated. The traffic patterns were easy to predict.

Snart parked his bike off in an alleyway and stepped out. His eyes scanned the storefronts as people milled in and out. The man by his side nudged him and Snart nodded once in return. He watched carefully as a blonde girl walked along the sidewalk with her arm looped with a red haired girl. They were speaking about something amidst their giggles.

"Go," Snart ordered.

The man moved fast in their direction. In a matter of seconds he was behind them and then they were scuffling and shouting as he tried to get their bag. The red haired girl managed to get her bag back and started to run off but the man grabbed at them both. Their arms flailed as he tried to hold onto them. The red haired girl managed to squirm away and hesitated before the blond yelled at her to run. Snart watched as the blond still tried to fight back. He could see her begin to reach for her gloves and that's when he stepped in.

With confident strides, Snart stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway and, once close enough, withdrew his gun and shot at the man. The crack made the girl scream and move away from the man who fell to the ground with a heavy thud, a bullet wound sitting on his chest. As she looked down at the fallen man, Snart took his time to approach, making a show of putting his gun back into his waistband.

"I'm going to cut to the chase," he stated, almost smirking when he saw her eyes widen in recognition not just from the theatre but from the precinct as well. "I know who you are and I know what you can do. It would be wise for you to cooperate."

"Stay the fuck away from me," she ordered, taking a step back.

"Aww. Is that language to use to someone who just saved your life?" he asked, his head inclined and his tone dry. "You owe me."

"My uncle's a police officer! He'll get you."

That actually made Snart snort. "He hasn't every other time I've been here. He won't start now. "

"Then what do you want from me?"

Now a large smile formed on Snart's face. That was the million dollar question, wasn't it? "I want you to help me."

"Fuck that!"

Snart paused and watched her. She took more steps back, her eyes darting from the man on the ground—blood continued to seep form his wound—up to him and back. He looked from her to the shops around him, noting the shadowy figures on the other side of the glass. "I'm sure you'll see things my way soon enough," he vowed, backing away and into the alleyway that he came from before.

Step one: complete.

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- More Snart and a big part for Iris. Honestly, her part ended up bigger than I had planned but now I have an idea of how her story is intertwined in this whole thing that I can't wait for you to see. Iris's mother has barely been mentioned in the show and I assumed she has passed away. I don't know how the show is going to handle it but I can't wait to see how they do it, if they do. And we get some background on Snart. He's fine to write, I find. With Wentworth's portrayal he can tiptoe on the line being serious or hammy. Mick, on the other-hand, he is way over the top and I enjoy that about his character in the show, he comes to life like the flames he likes. What did you think? Please read and review!

_Review replies_

_babyj_ \- I knew writing that scene that I would be on the line over whether or not Barry would be OOC and it seems I have fallen the wrong way. Originally I was going to have that line go to Caitlin but then I thought Barry would be better to pack a punch considering Sage is closer to Barry than she is to Caitlin. I'm glad you saw the emotion and I do see where it came off forced. Thank you for pointing that out, I appreciate that you take the time to say what works for you and what doesn't so I can fix things in the future. I look forward to your reviews because of that. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. Thank you for your time!


	13. Bad Blood

**_a/n - Sorry for being gone for so long! My internet has been out since Thursday and I now finally got it back! I hope you like this chapter!_**

* * *

**_Chapter 12: _**

**_Bad Blood_**

"Thanks for letting me stay here for the night, Mr. West," Lennox all but chirped the next morning, her lips then curling around the steaming mug in her hands. Sage, curled up in the chair across from her, shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I really appreciate it." Lifting her hand off her mug, she dug them through her bed-tousled hair and pulled it over to one side; her bright red hair cascading over her shoulder like water.

"Lennox, I would not be able to live with myself knowing that you were walking around intoxicated; something could have happened to you," Joe replied as she put on his jacket for work.

"It also helps that Iris didn't spend the night here," Sage added, throwing a pointed look to her uncle. He muttered something unintelligible beneath his breath. She snickered and picked a pastry off the top of the stack in the middle of the table and took a bite. "Did you figure out that whole bomb thing?" Their night at the Irish bar had ended early because of a bomb going off in a nearby building. Though that didn't seem to stop Lennox from downing another glass of wine once they were back at the West house, safe and sound.

"Not yet, but we're going to look into it today. Thankfully no one was hurt." Joe checked his pockets and then grabbed his bag which was nestled in one of the overstuffed chairs. He lifted the strap over his shoulder, approached Sage, and kissed the top of her head. "Stay safe. I'll pick something up for dinner."

"Chinese, please," Sage called after him. He waved and closed the door behind him. "Dude, you gotta stop flirting with my uncle," she added, admonishing Lennox with a shake of her head. "He's too old for you!"

"Old, schmold. He's hot." Lennox pulled her mug closer to her and brought her feet up onto the kitchen chair. "And he's not married so he's fair game. _And_ you're hardly one to snipe to me about liking older guys." Sage mimed sticking her finger down her throat while making a gagging noise. Lennox smirked in return and finished her coffee, setting the mug aside. "I see you don't have a scratch on you, Hero. Did the gloves come off?"

"I tried. But then the guy dropped dead on the sidewalk," Sage replied. Lennox's freckle dotted nose wrinkled and she continued, "By Snart. That guy that is running around with a cold gun."

"And he saved you?" Sage confirmed her question with a 'yup' that had a popping p at the end. "Why would he do that?"

"Because he says he wants me to help him with something." At the look of utter bewilderment on Lennox's face Sage continued, "I don't know what for but that's what he said."

"How come you didn't tell your uncle?"

"I don't want him to worry." Sage drummed her fingers against the table. The taps were muffled by her glove tips. "Yeah, yeah, I know it's his job to run the police force and everything and they'd want to know that Snart is around Central City somewhere. But what if he's not? What if he's gone now? I'd be crying wolf over nothing. And I'm more than capable of protecting myself."

"Yeah, but from _Leonard Snart?" _Lennox asked. Sage knew that tone. Leonard Snart was considered a world-class criminal for a reason. He wasn't the safest guy in the world, to put it lightly. "But don't you think Barry should know at least?" Lennox prompted. Sage made a face. "He should know that he's after you. Or spoke to you at least. What if he's after Iris?"

"He doesn't know about Iris."

"How do you know? He knows you, he knows Joe. It's only a matter of time until he puts those pieces together." Sage didn't reply. "You should at least tell her about your abilities."

"Uncle Joe said not to. And…" Sage blew out a breath. When she spoke again her voice was much more timid than before, "And Iris would think I'm some sort of freak."

"You're a freak without the help." Lennox barely batted an eye when Sage threw a crumpled napkin at her. It bounced off her nose and landed harmlessly on the table. "This wouldn't stop her from loving you."

"No, but it may make her run away."

"Oh, like she's running away from the Streak?"

"That's different."

"Why do you want to be a hero so badly, Sage? This is crazy. you're being crazy."

"Len—"

"And don't you think Iris would be mad to know that I knew about you before she did?"

Sage and Lennox regarded each other. It was almost unfair how much clarity Lennox seemed to have despite going through the throes of a hangover. She was supposed to be groggy and complaining of a headache and yet here she was dropping more truth bombs than Scarlett Johansson. If she wanted a lecture she would just go back home to Canada and close the cabinet doors too loud. Her father could go off on a rant about that for an hour, tops. It'd have the same effect.

Sage was the first to break contact with Lennox's knowing look, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. It wasn't as if Lennox _wasn't_ making a point. She knew she was, it's just…maybe if she could handle Snart on her own, maybe they'd see that she was being serious about wanting to help. Why was it that Barry could go running around saving people and taking up a heroic responsibility and she had to jump through hoops to get there? She could be useful, no matter what her father said...

"Sage, you're snowing."

"What?" Sage blinked and her hazel eyes crossed as something white and cold hit her nose. What the heck? Looking up her eyes popped open when she spotted a _cloud_ hovering above her head with a steady stream of snowflakes falling from it, landing on her head and shoulders. "Wow." She blinked and turned her confused expression over to Lennox, only to note that she had a matching one. "You don't see that every day."

It was snowing on her head. _On her head_. She knew that her powers would be able to extend to some degree, if Barry was of any indication, but for it to snow? It was so silly. She could feel pressure building up within her chest and she pressed her lips together to keep it in but they wavered, bouncing up and down. Lennox squeaked, her face steadily growing red from the strain. But once they locked eyes it was all over and the two dissolved into laughter.

**_# # #_**

The table shook beneath the weight of Mick slamming his boot-covered feet on top of it. He crossed one ankle over the other and repeatedly opened and closed the lid to his lighter. He stared into the heart of the flame before the lid snapped shut; seemingly becoming hypnotized every time he looked at it.

It was almost elegant how the flickering flames danced and twirled atop of the lighter. Smoke streamed off the tip of the flame and the scent tickled the inside of his nose. He took in a long breath, his chest rumbling with a satisfied groan. There was nothing like having fire in his hands. It was a beautiful thing, so powerful and so wild and so destructive. And he had it all in the palm of his hand. He was in control of it now and he'd never lose control again.

That's how he ended up with half of his body scarred. He lost control. Like when he was fourteen and got his hands on a roman candle one Fourth of July. But now he had the fire in his hands. He was the one in control of it. He was the one who decided what it destroyed and what it burnt. He made all the decisions. He didn't care how his gun worked. He didn't care to take it apart and know each piece inside and out, he just wanted to have it. He wanted to feel the trigger beneath his finger waiting to be pulled. He wanted to feel the machine resist as he applied pressure until it lost the battle and relinquished control.

Huffing, he slapped the lid of the lighter into his palm again and this time wrapped his large hand around the cool device. He twisted in his chair and looked over his shoulder at Leonard, whose face was illuminated by the bright blue glow of the computer he seemed almost permanently stuck behind. His hand was propped up on his cheek in a child-like manner but the sharp cut to his jaw and the popping muscle that was nestled in it shattered any sort of innocence that could have come from the position.

"Is this all you asked me around for? To follow some girl and then sit around and do nothing?" Mick demanded, his gruff voice filling the space in the room. His fingers twitched and drummed against the armrest. His nostrils flared. He needed to burn something. Anything. Old papers, newspapers, but he really wanted a candle. He wanted to watch the wax liquefy and then watch as it dripped onto his skin, cooling on the surface but burning his skin beneath.

"Patience," Leonard replied, almost hissing the end of the word. His eyes never left his computer screen. "You know better than to question me, Mick."

"I wouldn't have to question you if I could actually _do_ something," he grunted.

"What? Rush off after an armored truck? Some jewelry? A nice…_barbecue_ perhaps?" A brief, ghost of a smile appeared on Leonard's face but it disappeared as fast as it came. "If you want to get caught, the door's open. I'm sure The Streak catching you would only be a walk in the park for him."

"The Streak. Pah!" Mick spat. "I've never seen this guy. How do I know he actually exists?"

Leonard paused. His eyes finally tore away from the computer screen and lifted until they locked with Mick's questioning gaze. He leaned back in his chair and rested his palms on his stomach. The clock on the wall _tick, tick, tick_ed away as the seconds passed. The muscles beneath his eyes tensed ever so slightly and he said, "At any given moment I am steps ahead of anyone that gets in my way. I have every base covered and I have many outs. …The Streak is the only one to have put a speed bump, as it were, in my plans. But I know how to stop him. I know what slows him down."

"So why aren't we going out there, luring him in, and taking care of him?" Mick demanded.

"What would be the fun in that?" Leonard replied, his tone almost taking on a teasing lilt. The natural lack of warmth in his voice, instead, made him appear bored. "Besides, he has his merry little band of do-gooders on his side. If you want to break the knot…you have to pull a certain thread."

Leonard turned his eyes away from the confused expression on Mick's face—it was nothing new, even some of the simplest explanations seemed to slow the gears in his head—and turned back to the computer screen. He pulled up the newspaper article that he had been poring over all morning. The words had been engrained in his mind after the second read through but still he found himself reading it again just to make sure nothing was amiss. Not that he believed there would be, the police officers of Central City didn't seem to know anything unless it was spelled out in front of their faces. Even when the deceased that they were reporting on had black blood oozing out of his orifices, a bomb going off dominated the headlines. _Interesting_.

"The priorities of this city are astounding," he murmured, clicking on the x in the corner of the screen. "But I suppose that just makes my job that much easier. What a shame. I like a challenge."

"So what are we going to do now?" Mick demanded, dropping his feet to the floor. "Follow that girl again?"

"There' s no need. We know where she will be at any given time of day," Leonard replied. "We don't want to draw any more attention to ourselves. Not yet. For now, you can take apart your gun like I had _asked_ you to do _yesterday_." Before Mick could protest he continued, "You are only as strong as your weapon. Knowing it means you know how it works and know how to fix it in case something goes wrong. I don't have room for anything going wrong. And you don't have enough skin left for that, either."

"Last time wasn't my fault," Mick shot back.

"I suppose the building burnt down by itself then?" Leonard asked dryly. Pushing his chair away from the computer, he crossed the room to the solitary bowl nearby. He picked an apple off the top and took a bite of it. The crisp crunch bounced around the empty room. He knew he needed more food, or a more sustainable location to hide for the time being, but he couldn't risk being seen on the streets. No matter, he had plenty of people that owed him a few favors. And once he showed them what they could get out of it, he was sure they'd see it his way. Or else they'd see the barrel of his gun pointed in their faces. He couldn't risk having liabilities running around.

"The official ruling was faulty wiring," Mick pointed out.

"Wiring can easily be tampered," Leonard replied. "A few blueprints of a house and you know all the secrets. All the tricks. All the tracks to cover…." He swallowed the bit of apple in his mouth and took another bite. "Besides, our mission had finished. You were the one to decide to stay until you obtained some vase—"

"Do you know how much money I could have gotten for that vase?" Mick cut in.

"The same amount you would need to pay for your skin graft?" Leonard guessed, using his apple to motion towards his partner. Mick pushed a breath out of his nose and before Leonard could move, Mick had him by the throat, pushing him against the wall. Leonard continued to idly chew.

"One more word, Snart. One more word…" Mick's hot breath brushed against Leonard's skin. His eyelids drooped and he pulled his mouth to the side, as if quietly challenging Mick's reaction. "I can easily turn you in. I have enough information on you to get you behind bars for years. Don't forget that."

Leonard laughed. "You'd only be taking yourself down in the process. And besides, you need me and you know it. And who's going to keep me behind bars? I have ways of getting out. The police of Central City aren't exactly competent if _you_ of all people could escape an ambulance undetected." The two men stared at one another, silently daring the other to make a move.

Tightening his grip on Leonard's collar, Mick then let him go, growling and grunting beneath his breath. He slapped his fists into the side of his head, all the while muttering how he was "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Leonard merely adjusted his clothes. He'd seen this tantrum before.

Sure, he was putting his plans in jeopardy having Mick by his side again but they had worked together before for a reason. He _was_ a bit more stable back then but having him now, despite how unhinged he seemed to be, could be helpful. Once his mind was set to an objective at hand he went at it with an insatiable sort of desire that he appeared manic. And that sort of Mick was the kind he wanted to work with. If only he could slough off the rest of him and keep the parts that were so valuable.

The lone cell phone by Leonard's computer began to ring. Crossing the room, he picked it up and briefly glanced at the number on the screen before answering, which was a moot point. Only a select few knew the number to his phone so he knew the caller could be trusted.

"I was wondering when you'd decide to pull your head out of your ass," Leonard said into the phone.

"Now Lenny, is that any way to talk to your favorite sister?" Lisa Snart cooed on the end of the line. Leonard's mouth pulled up in one corner once his sister's voice reached his ears. "Besides, it's not _my_ head that's been up my ass lately."

"As much as I would love to hear about your conquests and catch up, _baby_ sister, you know there's a reason that I've left you messages."

"You mean you don't miss my voice? How rude. I always love to hear yours. Helps me sleep at night, knowing you're okay."

"How sweet." Leonard rolled his eyes and shook his head. Leave it to Lisa to drag out the mundane. "Do you remember that diamond bracelet I got for you? The twenty-carat tennis bracelet that you just _had_ to have?"

"That was my Christmas present two years ago. A girl always remembers when diamonds are given as a gift, Lenny."

"And as you know, gifts come with a price tag." Leonard crossed his arms. "I'm cashing in. You owe me a favor."

"Anything for my big brother. I've always wanted to come back to Central City. Coast City is getting a bit boring; they don't have nice stuff like home does. And besides, there has to be a new crop of lonely boys who don't mind giving their dicks a little time to be in control."

"Great. Nice to know my sister's still a slut."

"No no no, Big Brother, I'm hardly a slut. I'm in control. I know what I want and what I deserve. And I deserve the world. I'm not going to let some street urchin think he can get his hands on me for nothing."

"Mom would be proud. I bet you're making her turn in her grave."

"Mom married an abusive asshole; she has no room for comments. And if she didn't want us to turn out like this, she could have not tried to defend him and actually gave a shit about her kids. At least Grandpa tried."

Leonard pinched the bridge of his nose and then clenched his jaw. He had to give his head a hard shake to dislodge the images of his grandfather out of his mind, when he tucked them into bed and when he took them to the Motorcar and when he would patch up their wounded knees and help them with their homework and… There was no time for this! No time to dwell on the past and let emotions sink in. Emotions and guilt only got in the way and guided his hand as if on puppet strings. It was a waste of an emotion, really. He could do without it. "Just be on standby for my next call. I promise it'll be worth your while."

"Working with my big brother is always worthwhile."

The dial tone buzzed in his ear after she hung up. He listened to it for a moment and then hung up his phone. He had checked earlier to be sure there wasn't a bug on it but it didn't hurt to be sure. He couldn't afford to be lax on his routines.

He had barely put his phone down when a knock sounded on the door. Mick's jumped to attention, like a dog having heard something in the night. Leonard, however, took his time to grab his gun and load the bottom with a magazine. Once he pulled back on the gun, setting the bullets in place, he nodded over to Mick who then approached the door. He held a gun behind his own back as he murmured something. The response had to be right for Mick then opened it and allowed the man inside.

"Is it done?" Leonard asked.

"Yes. I've looked over the notes again and tweaked a few ingredients. It's sure to work this time," the man replied. He shifted his arms and revealed a box from beneath his coat. He moved forward and placed it on the table near Snart's computer.

"Are you willing to take that risk, Koushiro?" Leonard asked, brandishing his gun. "Because the last person you used it on bled out on the sidewalk all because the first batch was imperfect. It was supposed to enhance his abilities, not make it so that some girl could hold her own."

"The instructions were written years ago," Kourshiro reasoned, his voice trembling slightly. "I can't make out some of it, it has faded over time. That is not my fault."

"You can't read your own language?" Mick asked, snorting. "You speak Japanese and you can't read it?"

Koushiro huffed while unzipping the lid of his case. "As I said—"

Leonard slapped his palm on the table and looked Koushiro in the eye. "I don't care if you can read it or not. I care if it works. If your ancestors can perfect it, I'm sure it can't be hard for you to do with same when you follow their instructions."

"Are you sure you want to use this, Snart?" Kourshiro asked. "It has some adverse side-effects before we started tampering with it. I've heard about soldiers having mutated with one dose of it, and that's if they survived being injected. Who knows how this could wreak havoc if we get it right?"

"Which is why we won't let it fall into the wrong hands," Leonard replied, his voice as cold as ice. "As you said, you've seen what happens when the army gets their hands on it. They're supposed to be the responsible ones, though all they've done is prove that they're just like us. The ends justify the means in their eyes. Who cares if a few expendables suffer on the way to a victory? No one has ever won a war without blood being spilled." He picked up his gun and pointed it towards Koushiro's head. "Open it."

Mick eagerly moved towards the table, jostling it in his haste once he got close enough. Kourshiro gulped and flipped open the lid, revealing a container sectioned off in a three-by-three grid. Each section had a needle nestled inside with a metallic silver colored liquid in it. Leonard reached in with his free hand and picked one up, holding the needle between his fingers with his thumb resting on the plunger. He pushed down a little and a few drops of the liquid came out.

"Just remember, Koushiro, you have one strike against you," Leonard spoke up, his voice a slow drawl. "You can't afford to be mess up two more times so you better hope that this works. As I'm sure you saw with your brother in the paper…everyone can outlive their use."

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- Well? What did you think? What is it that Snart wants to use? The first person to guess and get it right gets a shout-out, it has been mentioned in the Flash/Arrow universe before so think hard. Thanks for being so patient with me but I have good news!

If you haven't heard yet, my sisters over at _DarkElements10_ and I are going to write a crossover story! It's called _Flashpoint _and will feature the Flash and Arrow characters experiencing a new threat that needs the teams to come together to defeat it. It will feature our characters (Cadence, Averey, Brady, and Sage) as well. I can't wait for you to see the ideas we come up with, it's gonna be really good (if I do say so myself).

_Review Replies_

_guest27_ \- Here's another chapter to hint towards what Snart is up to! I hope you liked it! Thanks for the review!

_babyj_ \- I personally think the writers dropped the ball when it comes to Iris. There's so much they could do with her but they don't give her a chance to showcase her own life separate from Barry or Eddie. I like Iris a lot so I'm hoping that I do her side justice and maybe explain a little more why she acts the way she does and go into how the PA affected her since that wasn't touched on at all besides knowing that her best friend was in a coma for so long. Thanks for the heads up on Snart and Mick, I knew writing them and getting their characterization right would be challenging but I wanted to take it on because I do like their dynamic and them as characters themselves. I think there's a of potential with them. I'll keep that in mind to try not to make them so repetitive. As this chapter shows, that was Lennox and she'll come in a bit more to show Sage's life a bit on the "normal" side. Thanks again for your review and sharing your thoughts!

_maxhart_ \- Thanks so much for your kind words! I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the story! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!

_Guest_ \- I hope this was soon enough for you! Thanks for your review!


	14. Bombshells

**_a/n: You all got it right! Shout out goes to animexchick, avalongirl55, gossamermouse101, and babyj for guessing Mirakuru right! Hope you enjoy the chapter and the surprises in store :)_**

* * *

**_Chapter 13:_**

**_Bombshells_**

General Wade Eiling started each day with a bowl of plain oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, and a dry, almost blackened, piece of toast and ended each day with a large bottle of whiskey to decompress and pick apart the failures. His days were inevitably dotted with failures as he tried to tackle something he, admittedly, didn't have the mindset for. It was all science-fiction gobbledygook he was dabbling in, a set of skills that were reserved for his old partner Harrison Wells but that was in the past now. He had to do anything he could to get his project off the ground and further strength the US military. He didn't care who he stepped on to get there; Bette Sans Souci being the biggest stepping stone.

Too bad she had to run away and ruin everything.

The whiskey burned Eiling's throat and the ice cubes clinked against the side of the glass as he set it down. He made sure not to place it on the map he had been pouring over the past few days. Pins were stabbed into the map adding a colorful rainbow to the otherwise pristine surface. They surrounded the one circle that had been drawn on the map around Central City.

_Of course_. He couldn't help but chuckle. Here he thought she was smarter than that, smarter than going _back_ to where it had all started. No matter, it made things easier for him. She couldn't help but leave clues behind it seemed. After all, it wasn't everyday a bomb went off in Central City. And going back to his old stomping ground could only aid him in one way or another. He could see his old partner and he could get his experiment back. Win-win.

"General?" Eiling looked up from his map to spy a Private standing in the door way. His arms were clasped behind his back and his posture was rigid as he waited for permission to enter or speak; a picture perfect soldier. But it was his furrowed brow on his otherwise stony face that gave Eiling pause.

"Enter," Eiling replied, motioning for the Private to come forward. His heavy boots thudded against the ground as he entered and stood by the table. "Has she been spotted?"

"This isn't about Sergeant Sans Souci," the Private replied. "It's about Dr. Hadley. We have the information that you've requested." He removed an arm from behind his back and held out a manila folder. It bent slightly from how hard he had it clutched between his fingers.

"Thank you." Eiling took the folder from him, his heart beginning to beat hard in his chest. His fingertips felt as if they had been zapped with electricity when they clutched the folder in his hands. He licked his lips and forced the muscles around his mouth to keep from giving him away. "That's all. You're dismissed."

"Yes sir." The Private saluted and exited the room.

Once he was clear of an audience, Eiling cracked into a smile. He flipped open the folder and his eyes darted back and forth as he poured over Dr. Hadley's findings. They briefly landed on little snippets that jumped out at him but it wasn't long before he flipped past that page and got to the one that he wanted. He carefully poured over the information on the page, not skipping a single word. He hummed at the extensive research Dr. Hadley put into his request as page after page detailed the history into the ace up his sleeve. Maybe his enhanced gene therapy plans failed before but they wouldn't fail now, not with this information. Not with this new breakthrough. And definitely not if he had a say in it. Harrison Wells couldn't mess this up for him now, not when his reputation had been ruined with the explosion.

And especially not now that Eiling had everything he needed to know about Mirakuru in his hands.

**_# # #_**

Books snapping shut and zippers rolling along their tracks reached a crescendo as soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of the class period. Sage took her time collecting her things as her latest paper lay on her desk, the large red grade sitting at the top stared her down. It made her stomach twist every single time her eyes caught the mark. Joe would not be happy about that.

Clutching the paper in her gloved hand, she waited for the class to clear out before she descended the small flight of stairs to approach the desk at the front. She waited for the professor to look up from her bag but the professor kept rifling through it. She cleared her throat and said hesitantly, "Professor Lance? About my paper—"

"It's wasn't your best, Ms. Moreaux," Professor Lance commented, finally lifting her head. She placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "The information didn't flow; none of your thoughts were linear and you didn't provide enough evidence to help support your stance on the Gods punishing mortals for justifiable reasons. You gave me the bare bones in your paper and, thus, I gave you the best grade I could offer." She shrugged. "You've done better."

"I know," Sage admitted. The paper crinkled in her tight grip and she lifted her bag higher up on her shoulder. "I just have a lot going on right now. Class work is piling up and…and I have my jobs and housework…" _Not to mention heading out to S.T.A.R. Labs to stay in the loop on what's going on when I'm not avoiding freezing the hell out of anything I touch._

Professor Lance's lips turned up in a sympathetic smile. "I understand the workload you have at this stage of your life. But if the others can do it and turn in better papers, you can too."

"Is there any extra credit I can get? Maybe do a redo?"

"I'm sorry Ms. Moreaux, my mark still stands. You're just going to have to make it up on the next test. I do have office hours that I suggest you make time to come to them." She paused and then added, "Contrary to popular belief, as a professor, I don't want to see you fail. I want to see you succeed. And I'll tell you this: you're going to have to work a little harder to get back to where you were."

"I will, I promise," Sage said, "this is one of my favorite classes. I'm just…preoccupied. I'll try harder."

"I hope you do."

Hanging her head, Sage walked out of the classroom and then released the breath she was holding as soon as she was out in the hall. She glanced down at the D+ scribbled on her paper again before shoving it in her bag. Joe didn't exactly _have_ to know about the mark. She could just come out and say that she didn't do so well and that she would do better next time. Surely he'd understand the pressure that she was under trying to balance everything. She was no Barry Allen but it was still tough.

Her gait slowed briefly as her phone rang and she dug into her pocket for it. Her eyebrows furrowed briefly when she saw Barry's name flashing across the screen and in the next instant her phone was up to her ear. "Hey, what's up? Everything okay with Bette?" She asked, her voice low as she passed by some other students that were loitering in the halls.

It'd been a couple of days since they discovered that it was Bette Sans Souci that was the one who had set off the bomb in the office building. Not only that she had set it off, that she had _made_ it with her metahuman abilities. Sage's first instinct was intrigue about Bette's abilities but that quickly faded and turned to worry when she learned of the danger Bette had been put in. She knew it far too well.

"Yeah, she's safe," Barry replied earning him a large sigh of relief from Sage. "I was just talking to her…about her abilities and everything. She's got it rough."

Sage scoffed. "I don't doubt it. She can't touch anything without it blowing up. Can't touch _anyone_ without causing them harm. Can't hold someone's hand…" she sighed. _It must suck_ bounced through her head but that was an understatement of the year. "Have you found anything new about her abilities?"

"Caitlin's still running some tests on her."

Sage hummed as she used her shoulder to push open the door of the building and bounded down the stairs. "And you haven't had any other distractions by way of Earwig or whatever his name is?"

"Eiling and no, thankfully. I think Dr. Wells helped on that front. Whatever he said has kept Eiling away after that whole tracker thing."

"Okay, so what's going on that you needed to call me? Need a coffee break? Are you looking to get creamed in mini golf? A night out for some karaoke perhaps?" Sage used her cheek to press her phone against her shoulder and held it in place as she approached her motorcycle. She picked up her bike helmet and dropped her free shoulder to get her bag to slide off it. It landed on the ground with a thud only reminding her of the chapters she needed to read that night.

"No, I want you to talk to Bette. She's not saying it but I can tell the whole no touching thing is really getting to her. Since you're in the same boat I thought you could…"

His words trailed off as her heart gave a painful lurch at the reminder. Sure her worries lowered a bit just as long as she had her gloves on but not by much. She didn't have the same control that Barry did, given that she hasn't really been given the same focus as him so she was still wary about dropping her guard when handling things. Even so she added cheer to her voice and said, "Of course! I can be at the lab in fifteen minutes. I'm at the school, just got out of class. I'll head over there right now."

"Thanks a lot. Oh, and Cisco asked if you could get some intel for him. I said I'd pass on the request but if you actually want to do it that's up to you."

"Tell him I'll find out everything I can. I'll see you soon." She hung up her phone with a little giggle and shook her head. Cisco having a crush on Bette was the cutest thing to witness. It almost made everything feel normal again. And she didn't blame him for his near instant attraction to the redheaded sergeant. Sage even caught onto the beauty that had appealed to Cisco, finding herself musing aloud agreeing to Cisco's sentiments and adding nonchalantly that she had a thing for redheads considering Lennox. But even then it wasn't that initially which made her feel oddly drawn to the woman, but the mere fact that they shared a common thread: not just being metahumans but being void of human contact as a result.

She lifted up the seat on her bike and shoved her bag inside, snapping the seat back down when it was snug in the bottom of the semi-shallow space. She tilted her head back and shook her hair out of her face and then pulled her helmet down over her head until it fit snug. She kicked one leg over the seat, settled down, and once it was up and running she smoothly transitioned into the heavy afternoon traffic.

It was when she sat at a red light that she noticed during her drive she had gotten flanked on either side by a few other motorcyclists. It wasn't out of the ordinary at first, it _was_ a nice day for a drive but they usually didn't keep up speed with her. Every time she slowed down they would stick to her side and any time she sped up they made sure to stay level with her. She clenched her jaw and stared at the light. Her fingers gripped the handlebars and her feet tapped against the asphalt beneath her. She ran her tongue across her bottom lip and blew out a slow breath. The light turned green.

Game on.

The engine roared beneath Sage roared as she shot forward. She squeezed her way between two rows of traffic, keeping her knees tucked in to avoid ramming into the side view mirrors that were on either side of her. A quick glance into her own mirrors showed her that one of the other cyclists followed right behind her and the other two were weaving in and out of traffic as soon as they got enough space. With a twist of her wrist, she shot forward.

The cars on either side of her became a blur as she streaked down the street. The engine roared in her ears and was accompanied by the thudding of her heart in her chest. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her head. Honks erupted around her and one particularly loud one mixed in with a squeal of brakes as she shot in front of an oncoming truck to her left as she blew through an intersection.

A glance in her sideview mirror earned her the sight of one of the cyclists flying through the air and landing in the middle of traffic due to having crashed into a car. One down, three to go. The three were close on her tail. She ran through another intersection, barely managing to swerve out of the way of a cement truck.

_Crack!_ Sage looked around to check and see if the noise had come from her bike only to hear the crack by her head again. A street lamp bulb shattered above her and rained glass down over her head and shoulders. _Crack!_ The noise sounded close to the side of her head this time. Twisting her head to the side, she glanced over her shoulder and the sight made her blood run cold. Two guns were pointed in her direction and no matter how many bumps the drivers went over their aim was steady.

_Wham!_ Sage felt a heavy jolt to her side. Her wheels jerked and she nearly crashed into the car next to her. It honked and stopped short and the biker next to her hit her again. She skidded through the empty space and nestled herself between cars in the furthest right lane. _Crack!_ Another bullet flew past her; this time she didn't have to look to know that a biker had caught up behind her.

"_Shit!_" she grunted when she felt something stab in her upper arm. The area throbbed and burned, like an open flame was licking greedily at her skin. Her arm felt heavy, like it was being weighed down with sand. Her bike jerked beneath her heavy arm. She spied another intersection coming up. Perfect.

Briefly letting go of the bike handles, she ripped the velcro on her glove and wiggled out her hand. She then gripped the handlebar and took the sharp right turn. Her knee almost touched the ground, she was leaning so far to her right. She firmly planted her hand on the ground and watched as a streak of ice formed atop of the asphalt, leaving a trail behind her. She grinned when the two motorcycles behind her slipped on the ice, ran up the curb, and smashed into a set of newspaper boxes.

Her elation was brief and quickly replaced with the gripping hand of dread when she saw the length of red lights in front of her. Brake lights. She pulled her brakes in vain as everything seemed to move in slow motion. She looked to her left and right to find an out but nothing came up. She barely managed to release the breath she was holding before she felt a hard tug behind her and she pitched forward. She connected with the ground with a hard _smack_ and rolled a few times before coming to a complete stop. Horns honked, tires squealed, a very sharp "_look out!"_ was uttered and, as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, a tractor trailer bore down on her. She closed her eyes.

When she opened them she was sitting on a table, sans helmet and jacket, hair windswept, with her t-shirt sleeve lifted as Caitlin inspected the large bruise on her arm. Her skin was an ugly shade of black and purple and it didn't help that Caitlin was prodding at her.

"How…?" she managed to speak amidst her rapidly beating heart. Her eyes then rested on Barry when he zoomed back into the room. "Barry!"

"I couldn't get to your motorcycle in time, I'm sorry," he said while pushing a hand through his hair. He dropped her bag on the floor where it made a heavy thud. "Figured you were a bit more important."

"Thanks, Bare," she said, her words tender with appreciation. And while she _did_ appreciate him yanking her out of the path of the incoming truck she couldn't help but feel a strong twinge of sadness at the news. Sure, it was just a motorcycle but it was _hers!_ She rode it all the way from Canada to get to Central City all those months ago. And now it was lying in the street somewhere banged up to who knows what degree. …But that was neither here nor there. She'd rather her bike be smashed up than her bones and her brain. "I owe you my life—ow." She frowned at the way Caitlin dug her thumbs into her skin.

"You can bill me later, I know where you live," he said with a bit of a smile. But it fell a second later and she noticed how tired he looked. He had bags beneath his eyes and lines seemed imprinted between his eyebrows. "What happened?"

"Some people were chasing me," Sage replied, brushing her blond hair out of her face. At the inquisitive look in Barry's eyes she continued, "I don't know who. All I know was that some people were trying to force me off the road and were shooting at me."

"You're lucky you came out of it with only a bruise and a few scrapes, it could have been worse," Caitlin commented, standing up. She removed the Latex gloves that enclosed her hand and tossed them away. Her heels clacked against the floor and she sighed. "That contusion will take a few days to heal. Sorry for the prodding but it looked as if something were stuck in there. You have a bit of an open wound on top of it."

"Like a tracker?" Barry asked, suddenly on edge. His eyes darted to the door and his shoulders jumped up to his ears. After a few moments he relaxed and pushed his hand through his hair again.

"No. Maybe some glass," Caitlin replied. She removed a bottle from the nearby cart she had pulled over as well as a cotton ball. She tilted the bottle on top of it, the liquid soaking the ball, and then brought the cotton ball over to her side. "Sorry, this is going to hurt a little," she said while grasping Sage's arm. Before she could even flinch Caitlin dabbed at the bruise and a fresh wave of pain shot through her, making her grit her teeth. "Well, whatever it was it's gone. But you should keep that clean and dry to avoid infection. And I want to run some tests just to make sure everything checks out."

Nodding, Sage lowered her sleeve. She gingerly rubbed her arm. It started to feel as if she had gotten a flu shot in the area, her muscle was screaming in pain. "So…where's Bette? You said you wanted me to speak with her." Her attention may have shifted with her words but her eyes were still on her arm. She was certain she had gotten shot there; surely it would have left a bigger wound than just a bruise…

"She's out practicing," Cisco replied. His words were muffled as his head was bent as he hovered over a drawer. Sage recognized it as the Candy Drawer. He stood up straight and joined them in the examination room, holding out a Tootsie Pop and a Blow Pop. Sage chose the Blow Pop, unwrapped it, and promptly stuck it in her mouth. "By the way, we're calling her Plastique."

Sage blinked. "Why didn't you go for the obvious and call her Bombette? Like in Paper Mario?"

"Because Plastique is cooler," he replied, shoving the Tootsie Pop into his mouth. "Speaking of cool, have you been having any more…surprises?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing. I managed to use a bit to help me evade those guys but it wasn't anything out of the…ordinary…" As she spoke she looked down at her glove-free hand and made a face of surprise. Covering her skin on the palm of her hand were what appeared to be small icicles pointing up towards the ceiling. "Except this."

"Whoa," Cisco uttered, eagerly rushing forward to see. Barry and Caitlin, hearing his gasp, turned to see what he was looking at their eyes widened at the sight. "Don't see that every day."

Caitlin grabbed something off the nearby cart and held it over Sage's palm, carefully cradling the back of her hand. Up on one of the many screens around the room a close-up picture of her palm appeared. The ice crystals covering her skin resembled mountain ranges and dotted every inch of her hand. "It…appears to be coming out of your pores."

"So her sweat froze?" Cisco asked.

Caitlin hummed. "Hard to say. It could be just that but it could also be something else. If you don't mind…" She picked up a pair of tweezers and clasped the tip onto one of the icicles. She wiggled it from side to side until it finally let go with a particularly hard tug. "Did that hurt?" she asked, a little alarmed.

"No, I didn't feel a thing," Sage replied.

"Okay, well, I'll just take a look at this. See if there's anything we need to worry about."

"Well that's peculiar," Harrison mused aloud as he rolled into the room. They all whipped around, watching him as he moved over to the table Sage was sitting on. The light above their heads reflected against his glasses, leaving a large streak that blocked out his eyes. "And you say you're feeling alright, Ms. Moreaux?"

Sage nodded. "Yeah, I feel fine," she replied. _You know, besides the burning in my arm._ The pain had gone past flu shot pain and shifted straight into fire territory but she kept her mouth shut. One painkiller and she'd be fine.

"May I?" Harrison held out his hands and Sage placed hers in his. They were warm to the touch in contrast to hers, making gooseflesh arise on her arms. He brushed his fingertips over the peaks of the icicles, all the while an unreadable expression sat on his face. He turned her hand this way and that and she stiffed, waiting for him to pull his hand back or cry out in shock due to freezing a part of his hand but it never came. "Once you're finished speaking with Bette…please come see me. I would like to take a closer look at your abilities. This is a bit of cause for alarm."

"Yeah. I mean…what happens when you need to go to the bathroom?" Cisco asked. He earned a scoff from Caitlin and an eyeroll from Barry for his question.

Sage, however, took the time to rub her palm against her gloved hand and watch as the little bits of ice fell to the floor before replying. "Cisco…I'm not a boy. I don't have to worry about my hand getting stuck to anything when I use the bathroom," she pointed out with as much of a straight face as she could manage. Only when Cisco's cheeks bloomed red and he began to stammer an apology did she laugh and reassure him that it was a fair question.

She hopped off the table, tossed her half-eaten lollipop away, and, looking at her hand, walked off to find Bette. She had barely made it out of the room when she felt as if she were being followed. One glance over her shoulder confirmed it when she saw Barry following her. "I'm fine," she stated before he could even ask.

"Are you sure?" he pressed, stopping her with a hand to her shoulder. "That hasn't happened before, right?"

"Right," she replied with a nod of her head, still inspecting her hand. "My sweat doesn't freeze. None of my, erm, _bodily fluids_ do." With a sigh and shrugged. "But maybe it's starting now? Who knows. It's not like we know everything about your abilities, right? I'm sure there's still some stuff you can do that we don't know about. Like…cause enough friction to light up a building." She paused and added as an afterthought, "Damn, it's really gonna suck the next time my period comes along…"

Barry's face looked as if he didn't know whether or not to be disgusted or ignore her comment altogether. He gave his head a shake and then rubbed at his eye with a few fingers as they resumed walking. "Just let me know if anything else happens, alright? You get followed…your arm suddenly freezes entirely…you wake up covered in a layer of snow. _Anything_. Okay?"

"Okay," she said with a nod. "And thanks again. For saving me. I owe you so much." She had been in the middle of reaching out to grasp his hand when she stopped herself, curled her fingers up into a fist, and dropped it by her side. Instead she smiled her thanks and walked off to find Bette. Every now and then she could hear the distinct sound of something exploding and followed the sound down the halls.

She had her hand wrapped around a door handle when searing pain grew in the inner tear ducts of her eyes. The pain made her fall to her knees. She gasped for air. It felt like fiery hot needles were being shoved straight through her skull and being tapped on by a hammer. No matter how hard she squeezed her eyes shut the pain didn't lift. She could feel something leak out of the corners of her eyes and drip down her face as her head burst with throbbing pain. Each throb matched her heartbeat and it felt as if a cinder block was being slammed against the side of her head. She felt as if her head was going to explode and wished it would.

Before long the pain ebbed, like receding tide out in the ocean. Sour saliva hung over her lower lip and dangled in the air. Her stomach clenched and relaxed as waves of nausea crashed through her. Her knees shook as she slowly got back to her feet, swaying on the spot. She sucked the string of saliva into her mouth and forced it down her throat with a hard swallow. She didn't want to risk wiping her mouth with her hand or else she'd be in a worse predicament than that kid who got his tongue stuck to a frozen pole in that movie.

Sage pushed out a slow breath, mentally counting to ten as she waited for her heartbeat to slow down. She brushed the back of her hand across her forehead, swallowed once more, put a smile on her face, and opened the door. She flinched at the bright sunlight that assaulted her eyes but she kept walking out towards the metahuman who was currently picking up a range of balls that sat on a nearby table and threw them only for them to explode in a purple blaze a few moments later.

"Hmm. That'd be an interesting new sport," Sage commented lightly, earning Bette's attention. She brushed her red hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Baseball with explosives." It was meant to be a joke but Bette didn't respond, instead she still stared at the younger girl. "You doin' alright?"

"Why are you out here?" Bette asked.

"Barry asked me to talk to you." She shrugged. "Said I'd be the best one to talk about your…predicament."

"I don't want to hear anything unless there's a way to cure me," Bette replied.

"Sorry. But I know how you feel."

"No you don't." Bette's words were hard. She shook her head and scoffed. "You don't know what it's like to be chased around. You don't know what it's like to be stalked. You don't know what it's like to be experimented on and…and _used._" She picked up another ball and gave it a good throw. The two girls watched as it sailed through the air, arcing before it exploded on its descent.

"Maybe not," Sage said, "but I do know what it's like to feel trapped." She slowly approached the table and picked up a tennis ball in her gloved hand. She gave it a few tosses up and down before gripping onto it. "Because you can't touch anything. Because you're afraid of what you can do to someone else because you just don't know the extent of what you _can_ do." She tossed the ball into the air and caught it with her glove-free hand. As soon as it smacked down in her palm it crusted over with a layer of ice. She let it go and the two girls watched as it fell to the ground and shattered at their feet as soon as it connected with the cement, scattering ice shards in every direction.

Bette pressed her lips together. The two girls regarded one another for a moment before Bette picked a boomerang up off the table with her covered hand. She held it out to Sage who took it and the two watched as it froze in her grip. She then tapped the frozen boomerang against the table once and watched as it broke apart and littered ice shards everywhere.

"Hmm, I hope Cisco didn't want that back," she muttered aloud, letting go of the rest of the boomerang in her hand.

"…What happens if you…you know…?" Bette asked.

"Touch myself?" Sage asked with a little laugh. Bette nodded. "I know how funny it sounds. Nothing happens. Look." She clasped her right hand on her bare left arm and gave it a squeeze as if she were loosening the muscle. Bette seemed to wait on baited breath for something to happen and visibly relaxed when it didn't.

"What happens if you touch someone else?"

"You know what frostbite does to people?" Bette nodded. "Let's just say what I can do…would make people _wish_ they had frostbite." She brushed her hair behind her ear and felt her heart lurch when a flash of that man lying in the alleyway invaded her mind. She had only tried to help him, tried to save him. That's all she wanted to do… She gave her head a shake and forced a smile back to her lips. "It's manageable, thankfully…"

"Yeah, but to your detriment," Bette pointed out. "You can't hung anyone. Shake their hand. Pat them on the back…nothing." She was quiet for a moment and asked, "Have they been able to help you?"

"No. They've been focusing on Barry." Sage noted the slight bitterness attached to her words and added, "But I understand. He has a better handle on his powers and until they can figure out how mine work exactly it's best to study what you know, right? They…they have a certain way of doing things, going with the flow makes it all easier. Besides, I'm not exactly in a rush for them to tell me I'm untreatable."

"Don't you think they already know?" Bette asked.

Sage nodded. "They're using Barry's abilities to help people; if they had a way to 'fix' him they would have done so by now." She kicked at the ground and cleared her throat. "They feel responsible for what happened; it's not as if they're not trying. It's that they don't know how, I guess. It took…how long for that Particle Accelerator to be put up? I can't imagine it'll be easy to find a cure of sorts."

"Not especially if you've bonded to your little problem," Bette said.

Sage took a step closer. "Look, it's going to be okay—"

"No it's not," Bette interrupted her. Her harsh tone made Sage flinch and stop in her tracks. "I used to be a part of something big. Something I felt proud of. I was making a difference in the world. And now, because of it…I can't go near anyone! I can't touch anyone or anything because I'll blow it up! I'll hurt someone! _Kill_ someone! Unintentionally and without warning. How can you fix that!? How can any of them fix that? I'm not a soldier. I'm a ticking time bomb. _Literally!_"

Sage thought she heard Bette mutter something beneath her breath about not being able to have children and it made her press her lips together. What else could she say? Bette was right, they weren't the same. If she were to be honest, only a small portion of her life had been changed. Bette's _entire_ life had been altered: she was taken away from her job, she was taken away from her family, and she was taken away from any sort of stability. Sage had all that left with Iris and Joe and school still being there for her. All Bette had left to look forward to was a life on the run and the hope that Eiling wasn't behind her. And what kind of life was that? What kind of existence was that?

"There has to be some perk," Sage tried. At Bette's furrowed eyebrows she hurried, "I mean, you could blow up some of your ex's stuff. Get a nice purging process going if it was a particularly bad breakup. You could…make and set off your own fireworks every Fourth of July! They'd be one of a kind for sure! And…and…you're your own self-contained anti-burglary system. That's a plus, right? No one would want to try and break in if you have some explosives in your house right? And…it's a good excuse in a club if someone gets too grabby. And…and I'm sure Cisco would love to make you some awesome new gloves. Maybe he can somehow channel your explosive…ness and turn 'em into energy blasts like…like Iron Man or something." Bette snorted and then tried to hide her amusement by forcing her mouth down in the corners and reassembling her usual stern expression. "My point is the situation sucks but dwelling on it makes it suck even worse. You said you used to do something that made you proud, maybe you still can somehow." Bette said nothing, choosing to hum instead. Sage rubbed her lips together and let them go with a pop. "Well, I'm going to head back in. Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a minute."

Sage nodded and turned back to walk into the building. Along the way she brought her hand up to her face to see if her hand was covered in ice again. It wasn't. She frowned and wrenched open the door, waiting for it to close behind her so she was shut in the dark hallway. Bette's worries began to pile up in her mind but she gave her head a hard shake to dislodge them. _If anyone can help me it's them. They'll be able to figure something out._

But no matter how many times she repeated the thought in her mind she couldn't let go of the worry and doubt that latched itself onto her. Even that couldn't take a backseat when she noticed that the bruise on her arm had disappeared.

**_# # #_**

Harrison turned away from the screen that showed Bette still standing outside of S.T.A.R. Labs, pacing with her features pulled into a frown. He pressed a button on his keyboard and the image switched to Sage inside a hall, looking at her arm where a blank patch of skin sat rather than the large bruise that had settled there before. Harrison's lips pulled back into a smile as he hit another button to zoom in on the picture, just to be sure…

Perfect.

Oh how he loved when everything went according to plan. Barry may be taking a little bit long on his end but that was okay, he could speed things up eventually. No pun intended.

With a satisfied smile, Harrison pressed another key on the keyboard and the screen turned black. He turned away from the computer and got to his feet, taking his time to stretch his legs as he strode around the room. It was beginning to be such a nuisance having to stay seated for so long but he knew he had to be patient. It would all be worth it in the end if he was patient.

He had completed a lazy lap around the room when the phone rang but even then he didn't rush to answer it. He took his time to approach his desk, pour himself a glass of scotch, and take a few sips of it before he finally answered the ringing phone. He didn't bother with pleasantries, after all why stop and have a chat about the weather when there were more important matters in the world?

"I see you finally managed to do your part," Harrison commented, "I should commend you for only taking two tries to do it."

"Thank y—"

Harrison didn't wait for the man on the other line to finish. "Now to move onto the next part of the plan. You know your instructions?"

"Yes."

"And you know what will happen if you don't follow through with your instructions, don't you?"

"Yes sir."

Harrison's face broke into a smile. "Good. You may have gone a little overboard ensuring that you injected her with the serum but it got done in the end. I do suggest that, next time, you try _not_ to kill your target in the process. Barry will be taking care of that for us soon enough."

"Yes sir."

"And Koushiro?"

"Yes sir?"

Harrison swallowed the rest of his scotch and set the now empty glass down on the table with a hard thud. "If you mess anything up," his voice was now a harsh whisper, "Snart is the last person you'll need to worry about." He jabbed the end button with his thumb and return the phone to its cradle.

* * *

_**a/n:** _I know it's been a long time between updates. Originally I was going to have this updated on the day season 2 premiered but I didn't finish it in time. So how about finishing it in time for episode 4? What do you guys think of season 2 of The Flash so far? I think Atom Smasher was a bit of a let down but I'm still excited to see where the show takes us. I especially can't wait to see what they do with Tom Cavanaugh this season. Speaking of Cavanaugh, Wells is super shady by the end of the chapter isn't he? Please read and review! Thanks for being patient with me.

~C.M.


	15. Running in Place

**_Chapter 14: _**

**_Running in Place_**

Iris rubbed her palm over her eyes, taking a break from the blinking cursor on the screen. She wasn't sure if it was the bright screen that was making her eyes hurt or the slowly drying tears that was irritating them. It wasn't every day she and Barry got into a serious fight. Of course there were times they disagreed but they always fixed things in the end. But now…he didn't want to be friends. He wanted _space_? But what did that _mean_? How could they have space from one another when they were at each other's sides since they were mere children? How could Barry just…give up on them like that? It didn't make sense. Why didn't he understand?

Giving her head a shake, Iris minimized the Microsoft Word screen and maximized the internet window for her blog. Maybe reading some of their comments would help. Seeing them talk about The Streak or whoever he was would make her feel better.

She still buzzed in excitement from her meeting with The Streak. Her heart still leapt at the thought that she was _that_ close to him, she could touch him if she wanted. He was real. He was there. He was _hope_ for the city that it was protected. Not that the CCPD wasn't helping but, well, they couldn't move as fast as him. In the time it took them to respond to a call The Streak could have everything diffused in a span of three seconds. As they continued to pick up the pieces and plod on after the particle accelerator exploded, a little bit of hope and an extra hand couldn't hurt. Especially with the new developments plaguing the city.

Iris squinted at the screen as she read another post spotting a man on fire. This time he was lurking in an alleyway. This was new, he was usually found under overpasses or in the rundown part of the city; nowhere _within_ the city. Nowhere so close to civilians. She hummed, tapping her chin with her fingers and went onto the next new post. This one was about the blast in the river earlier that day.

So she wasn't the only one who thought it odd. Of course, General Eiling appeared on the news to quell the barrage of inquiries but Iris wasn't so sure she bought his explanation. Why would they conduct tests out in the river out of the blue? They usually warned the residents of any testing that was going to happen to keep fear from spreading throughout the city and distress calls coming in all over the place.

She reached for her phone and began to bring up Barry's number but when it came to pressing the green phone button her thumb hovered over it. She stared at the picture on the screen for his ID—her and Barry making ducklips at the camera—and sighed heavily. When someone became such a fixture in your life, how are you supposed to deal with the gaping hole when they were gone? There was Eddie but…well, he was as easy to convince about The Streak as he was to believe that the stars in the sky was glitter thrown around by aliens. And her father? He ducked and dodged every conversation about The Streak like a pro boxer.

_Mom would have believed me._ Iris shook her head, ridding herself of the unwelcomed thought. Shoving her computer away, she walked into the kitchen and began rummaging around for bowls and spoons and ingredients. Nothing cheered her up quite like a fresh batch of sugar cookies.

She had all of the ingredients set out and lined on the counter when she heard the front door open and slam shut in quick succession. She glanced up and saw a pair of feet rush up the stairs and before she could even call out to her cousin she could hear the bedroom door slam shut. Nothing new there.

"Uh oh," Joe commented as he sauntered into the kitchen. "The only time you make cookies is when you're upset. What happened? Did you have a fight with Eddie?"

Iris made a face at him. "Don't sound so happy about that prospect," she said, pointing a spoon in his direction.

"Not happy. Just hopeful." At the expression on Iris's face Joe laughed, walked over to her, and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm kidding. What's wrong, baby?"

"It's Barry," Iris replied. "We kind of…took a break."

Joe's eyebrows crinkled. "What do you mean?"

"He's been…acting funny lately," she replied. "Not himself. He's…hopeless. I mean, he doesn't believe in The Streak. It's like…he doesn't believe in anything anymore. Not like he did before. Not like the old Barry did." She shook her head. "I don't know what happened to him but we got into a fight."

Joe rubbed his thumb and forefinger around his mouth. In the silence that stretched between them, she gathered the ingredients she needed and began to pour them into separate bowls. She paused in her pouring of flower when he cleared his throat. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," he said. "Maybe he's just…stressed about something."

"Yeah, but why wouldn't he tell me about it?" Iris asked. "We tell each other everything."

"Well, baby, maybe he just needs some time," Joe said. "You two haven't been separated practically since you were born. Maybe some space would be good. He'll come to you eventually. Especially if he senses you're making cookies."

Iris smiled. "He always loved our sugar cookies."

"That's because your grandmother put her foot in them," Joe said, making Iris chuckle. "She could make a mean dessert.

"And now I'm giving her a run for her money. Just wait until the family reunion, we'll see who wears the baking crown this year." The smile on iris's face slowly faded as she continued to mix ingredients together. "Do you remember when Mom used to make sugar cookies?"

"Yeah," Joe said, a wistful look coming to his eye. "It would be an all day affair. I'd be eating cookies for days." He chuckled and added, "And I'd hit the gym not long after. Everyone in the precinct would know when she was in a baking mood." He looked at Iris. "Why?"

"Oh, I was just thinking of the time she helped Barry and I make a huge batch of cookies for school." She sighed. "Mom and I would spend more time trying to stop Barry from eating the dough than making them. And then she would teach us a new game to play or help us build a fort to explore while she went to take a nap—what?" Iris's head tilted at the odd expression on her father's face. "What's that look for?"

"Ah, nothing," Joe replied. "Nothing. I'm sure things between you two will work out. If not I can say something? Help smooth things over?"

"Dad, I'm not ten anymore. Barry and I can fight our own battles," Iris said. "Things will…it'll be fine."

Joe kissed her forehead again. "Alright baby. I think I'm going to turn in early. Bring up some cookies when they're done?"

"Don't want to sneak down in the middle of the night?" Iris asked, sending him a knowing look. "I'm going to count them all, I'll know if one's taken."

"You're way too perceptive for your own good," Joe muttered, walking out of the kitchen.

Iris smiled at his back and went through the rest of the recipe, combining the ingredients together until she had a bowl full of cookie dough. She brushed her flour covered hands off on a dishrag and moved the dirty bowls into the sink. She washed them out and set them on a rack to dry, moving onto put the ingredients back up where they belonged. Once that was done she walked out of the kitchen and jogged up the stairs.

She rounded the corner and came across the first door. Hand lifted, ready to knock on the door; she paused and peered through the crack. The door must've bounced back open after her cousin slammed it shut. She saw Sage curled up on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head resting on her arms. Every now and then her shoulders would shake. Iris started to push the door open but stopped when she saw…_snow_? A light dusting of _something_ was on Sage's shoulders, shifting with every shake of them. But when she blinked it was gone.

She pressed her lips together, knocked on the door, and pushed it open. Sage looked up and brushed her hands across her eyes. "Hey, everything alright?"

"Yeah, just—I'm fine. It's nothing," Sage replied, sniffing. "What's up?"

"I'm making cookies. I wanted to see if you wanted to help."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be down in a sec."

"Okay." Iris closed the door and rested her weight against the wood. She knew what she saw…but how was that possible? It couldn't be. It was… Iris mouthed the word _impossible_, her eyebrows furrowing. Turning away from the door she rushed back downstairs and grabbed at her computer. Minimizing the internet browser, she pulled up her folder file and clicked through some of them until she opened the one she wanted.

It was filled with a series of documents; all detailing her visits to the hospital and S.T.A.R. Labs to see Barry. She wasn't one to keep a diary, finding typing out her thoughts on a computer better. There was less pressure to keep up and it was easily disposable. She checked the date on the first file, the date of the explosion nine months ago. She took in a shaky breath, images of Barry seizing in the hospital bed flashing before her eyes.

She pushed it aside and went to check the first sighting of something strange around the city: someone with inhuman strength lifting a car off a child. _Adrenaline_. Reports of a people seeing things that weren't there. _Hallucination_. Reports of creatures taking on different shapes in the night. _Light playing tricks_. Everything noted had an explanation. But what if they were all connected? Iris's heart beat hard against her chest.

What if they were all connected to the particle accelerator exploding?

**_# # #_**

Barry rocked from side to side in the swivel chair behind the desk, his hands folded atop of his stomach. He stared straight up at the ceiling but that wasn't what was holding his interest. The ceiling may as well not even been there with how his stare seemed to bore a hole into it. But it was better to do that than to potentially get himself thrown in jail for hunting down Eiling and getting him to pay for what he did to Bette.

He laced his fingers behind his head and blew out a breath. There had to be something more they could have done for her. Found her a safe place to live, found her a new identity, _something_. But that didn't matter now. They failed her. _He_ failed her. What was the point of his powers if he couldn't do anything to stop her from detonating? What was the point of his powers if he couldn't save someone like him? Provide them a better life? Wasn't that what he was supposed to be? A sign of hope. How much hope did he give Bette? Too much? Not enough?

Slapping his palms on his knees, he got to his feet and went to the treadmill. He stepped atop of it and pressed the on button, taking his time to stretch out his legs at a slow walk. But soon he picked up speed and he was running so fast his arms and legs were at a blur. The treadmill below his feet sped by, keeping up its continuous loop as he powered through.

"Barry…_Barry!_"

Barry turned his head, spotting Caitlin on the other side of the glass, knocking on it. Her face was twisted into an expression of concern, eyes shimmering. He slowed down his jogging all at once, jabbing the stop button on it. He stepped off the treadmill, tugging at the front of his shirt to peel it away from his sweaty body. He stumbled the first few steps; his legs always felt like jelly after a good, hard run.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, walking back out to the main floor.

"That's what I wanted to ask you," Caitlin replied, rubbing her palms together. "You seem a bit…off. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about Bette," he replied, leaning against the operating table in the room. "I wish there was something else I could have done for her."

"You did everything you could, Barry," Caitlin said gently. "Eiling wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted. No matter what you did."

"I know but…maybe I could have protected her better. Hid her."

"He would have found her anyway. He has before," she pointed out. "It would have only slowed him down. Would you want to run and hide her? Forever?" A noncommittal humming sound came from between Barry's lips. "I don't think Bette would've wanted to live the rest of her life on the run either."

"If we could have found a way to remove the shrapnel—"

"There was no way," Caitlin reminded him. "There was nothing we could do about Bette, Barry."

The words fell heavy on his shoulders. He was The Streak, The Streak could do anything. The Streak brought hope into the city in the aftermath. At least, that's what Iris was saying about him. _Iris_… He ran his hands down the back of his head. Man, he wished they could just…sit down and talk everything out. He wished he could explain everything that was going on but then he'd be breaking his promise to Joe. And if she knew that he had been visiting her the entire time and didn't tell her who he was…what if he lost her too? First his mom and then his dad, he's been able to adapt to those but to lose Iris and Joe on top of it? He couldn't bear that.

It almost felt like he was running in place sometimes; no matter how hard he tried he wasn't making progress one way or another. His Barry self, the one the world saw wasn't faring any better than his Streak self. It may have been his decision to take a break from Iris but he needed to hold her at arm's length, so the two of them, two of _him_ wouldn't cross. He had to keep Iris safe. But what did that matter if people still died under his watch?

"What's the point?" he mumbled.

"I…I don't follow."

"Of this? What's the point of this?" Barry waved his arms around S.T.A.R. Labs. "What's the point of me helping if I'm not _helping_? Yeah, Eiling was stopped but at the cost of Bette's life. Is that what I have to look forward to every time a new metahuman comes around? For someone else to die for us to get them?"

Caitlin put a hand on his shoulder. "We all knew this was a risk we were going to take getting into this. You're only human, Barry, you can't save everyone." Barry flinched at her words. "Maybe this is for the better. Now Bette doesn't have to worry about Eiling…doesn't have to worry about hurting anyone…. You were able to help her see herself as something other than a weapon. That has to count for something."

Barry shrugged. Maybe it did, but it wasn't enough. "Thanks," he said, turning to smile at her. "I appreciate it."

Caitlin nodded her head, a small smile appearing on her face as well. "Don't forget, we want to help as much as you do. You don't have to go through this alone. We're here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Thanks. Again."

"You're welcome." Caitlin gave his shoulder a squeeze and dropped her hands into her lap.

"Guys! We have a problem!" Cisco's panicked voice called out from the hall. Caitlin and Barry whirled around to see him have stumbling, having dragging himself into the room. Draped across his shoulders was Sage, but her body was jerking and shaking.

Barry rushed over, grabbed her, and set her down on the operating table as Caitlin ran off only to come back with a bag. "What's going on? Is it a seizure?" he asked.

"No, she's fully conscious," Cisco replied. "She keeps muttering something. I can't make it out."

Barry looked over at her. Her lips were indeed moving, forming words amongst her body tremors. He lowered his ear to her mouth and could hear a few words in her breaths, "I'm sorry…won't do it again…sorry…don't hate me…sorry, Dad…"

Caitlin dug into her bag and pulled out a thermometer, sticking it in her ear. A few tense seconds later and it beeped. She pulled it out and checked the screen, her eyes widening. "Her body temperature is too low. We have to bring it up." She put the thermometer down and started to pull back her hair. "Cisco, go get me the IV pole," she ordered. "Barry, get me as many blankets as you can find, the thicker the better. And three hot water bottles."

Barry barely nodded his head before running straight out of S.T.A.R. Labs. The streets and cityscape blurred around him as he ran in and out of stores, grabbing blankets, paying for them on the way out. He then grabbed insulated water bottles from a sports store, filled them with the hottest water her could find, and rushed back to S.T.A.R Labs to see Caitlin sticking an IV into Sage's arm as Harrison wheeled into the room.

"Hypothermia," he noted after taking one look at her. "Moderate state if I had to hazard a guess. Where did you find her, Cisco?"

"In the hall. I-I was going to the kitchen and I just…found her on the floor," he replied, running a hand through his hair.

Leaving one arm out, Barry used his speed to wrap her up in the blankets, like swaddling a child. He placed the water bottles beneath her arms and in her groin area. Her shivering had minimized but she was still pale.

"Will she be okay?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine. You did well, Cisco," Harrison said, patting him on the back. He wheeled over to the thermostat, jabbing the button on it to raise the temperature in the room.

"What was she saying?" Caitlin prodded.

"I don't know," Barry said, shaking his head, "she just kept saying that she was sorry and that she wouldn't do it again."

"Wouldn't do what again?"

Barry lifted and dropped his shoulders. It was vague but, deep down, he had an idea. He brought his thumb up to his mouth, biting down on the nail as he waited. The boys backed away and gave Caitlin room to survey the vitals and check her temperature. Barry couldn't stop pacing; the sound of his shoes scuffing against the floor was a welcomed change to the silence in the room. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sage groaned and began moving beneath the blankets. But a second later she was thrashing, trying to fight through the tight hold the blankets had on her.

"Hey, hey, you're okay," Caitlin reassured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Gotta get out…gotta get out," Sage muttered, kicking her legs.

"Sage, stop! It's us, it's Barry. You're okay," Barry said, rushing to her side. She froze beneath his touch and looked up at him.

"Hospital?" she rasped, her eyebrows lowering.

"No, you're at S.T.A.R. Labs."

Her eyes slowly moved around the room, recognition slowly creeping back in. Then she sighed and lay back against the table. Harrison rolled over to her side and stared at her until she met his gaze. "I venture this isn't the first time this has happened?" he prompted. She slowly shook her head from side to side. "How often?"

She licked her lips. The color popped against her pale lips. "Every few days," she rasped.

"Every few days!?" Barry repeated, aghast.

"Can usually catch it," she added.

"Your body temperature was at 31°C, that's about 88°F," Caitlin relayed, "you're lucky Cisco got to you. You're going to be just fine."

"This was because of your powers, right?" Barry asked. She nodded her head. "Why didn't you say anything if this has happened before?"

"Didn't want you to worry," Sage replied.

"But we need to know everything you can do. Everything that can happen to you."

"Sorry."

Barry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Can you bring up the information we have on her? Just to make sure we have everything we need."

Cisco nodded and rushed over to the computer, bringing up the folder they had on every metahuman they've come across. Barry tore his eyes away from the folder labeled _Plastique_ and put his attention on Sage's folder. It took some time, due to Sage's drowsiness and mild confusion, to fully have an idea of what they knew of her abilities: objects freeze through direct touch (front of hand), creates snowballs, produces brief ice beams, and suffers lower body temperature "spells". And then came the information they _didn't_ know: slow reaction time, "brain freezes", violent shivering, rapid heart rate (though Barry was sure that her constant consumption of caffeine aided to that), periodic snowing, and…

"Wait, run this by me again? You _siphon_ heat?" Barry asked, rubbing his eyes.

Sage nodded. "It's how I've managed so far," she said. "I can take heat from objects. With bare hands. Warms me up."

"Does that freeze the object in turn?" Cisco asked, his fingers poised above his keyboard keys.

"No," Sage replied. "I don't take the heat. Not really. I don't know. The temperature doesn't lower. I don't know."

"Well, how about from people?" Caitlin asked. "Can you take heat from people?"

"No," Sage replied. Her face scrunched up. "I don't know. I don't want to know. I can't hurt anyone else."

Barry's ears perked up. Anyone else? Those words seemed to make everyone else stop as well. They all exchanged a look and then looked over at her. "What do you mean?" Barry prodded gently.

But it was enough for a round of tears to collect in Sage's eyes and slid down her cheeks. "It was an accident," she managed. "I didn't mean to do it. I was just trying to help. I only wanted to help…" Her lip began to quiver but she pressed her lips together to stop it. "There was this old man. Months ago. Months…? No…yeah. Months. I was coming home from school and I saw him. He was just…lying there. Not breathing. I just wanted to help…" She took in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "I tried CPR, like Uncle Joe taught me, but…something happened. He…he froze. I felt his ribs _shatter_ beneath my hands. Like glass. I made him worse. I…I _killed_ him. It was an accident. I just wanted to…" She brought the back of her hand up to block her nose and mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut but tears spilled down her cheeks. "_I'm so sorry!_" she sobbed, her words muffled by her hand.

"It's okay, you didn't know what you were doing," Caitlin whispered, rubbing her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault." She gave it a squeeze. "I'll go get you some tea."

Sage reached out and grasped Caitlin's wrist, stopping her from moving. Caitlin turned back around, her eyebrows lifting. "I came to give you guys some lunch," she managed to utter between her body shaking sobs. "You live off Big Belly Burger, that's-that's not good. I-I wanted to say sorry. For not taking this seriously. For being in the way. F-for…" a small smile appeared on her face. "For being annoying—no, it's okay. I know I am," she said to Caitlin's stalled denial. "I'm not…part of this world. The science stuff. I don't g-get it. I don't…fit. And I was trying to force it. I'm-I'm sorry." She gave Caitlin's wrist a squeeze in lieu of taking her hand. "I made you some soup. Low s-sodium, I know you're watching your salt intake."

Caitlin whispered a quiet 'thank you' and walked off. Sage dropped her arm back onto the table. Barry sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "Could you leave us alone for a minute?" he asked Cisco and Harrison. They nodded and walked out of the room. Once out of earshot, Barry approached. "This could have killed you if Cisco wasn't around."

She shrugged, her sobs dying down. "It's going to kill me anyway," she replied. "I know it is," she plodded on, stopping Barry from speaking. "I've been dealing with this since…since the accident. It hasn't been this bad before. Sooner or later, it's going to get me. I hope later rather than sooner but…futures aren't guaranteed."

"Yeah," Barry agreed. He knew that all too well. His life was shaped by it. And now Bette…. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "You kept saying you were sorry. And…you mentioned your dad."

She didn't reply right away, choosing to stare up at the ceiling for a few moments. "It was weird. When I collapsed…I wasn't here. I was at home. And I had…broken something. A plate or a mug. And I saw Dad. And he was yelling at me." She scoffed. "What else is new? Can't seem to say anything to me without adding volume. But it was so…vivid. Like I was standing right in front of him. Like I was a kid again." She turned to look at him. "Barry, I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"This. All of this. I know I should have told you but I didn't want you to worry about me. You have enough on your plate without me throwing my weight onto it." She sniffed and brushed her hand across her nose. "And Bette…I tried. I tried talking to her. But it still didn't make a difference."

"That wasn't your fault either," Barry told her. _It's mine_. "_Nothing_ was your fault. Just…get some rest. Okay? I'll tell Joe what happened and that you're okay."

She nodded and relaxed against the pillows, her eyelids already fluttering. He stepped away, turned, and ran and in the next instant he found himself among rows and rows of headstones. Bright flowers dotted each one, adding a pop to the wall of gray. A few of them, he noted, had dead flowers but he took care of that, replacing them in the blink of an eye. Once finished, he took a familiar path amongst the headstones until he reached the one he was looking for.

He sat down in front of the grave, crossing his legs so as not to disturb the grass that lay in front of Nora Allen's marker. In front of it lay a few stalks of sunflowers. Her favorite. Barry smiled. She always used to say she liked sunflowers because it brought extra sunshine into the room. He would pick an entire field of sunflowers for her if it could bring her back.

"Hey Mom," he said aloud, staring straight at her name etched into the weather beaten stone. "It's me again. I need…I need some help." He pulled a blade of grass. "I don't know what to do. Iris and I…we're not seeing eye to eye right now. She's really into the Streak. The Streak is me, of course. I just…don't know how to keep my promise to Joe and keep her as a friend at the same time. It's so hard, keeping them separated. And now, we met this new metahuman. Her name was Bette. We could have helped her; we could have given her a better life. But I couldn't save her.

"I wasn't fast enough." He scoffed and shook his head. "I could run on water to get away from the blast but I wasn't fast enough to stop her from being shot. I should be able to…to save everyone. But I can't. I'm fast but…I'm still too slow." He rubbed at his head and blew out a frustrated breath. "I want to find who did this to you, but I don't want to sacrifice anyone else in the process. Just…tell me what to do, Mom. Help me. _Please_."

He held his breath, waiting. For what, he wasn't so sure but he needed something to know that she heard him. That she was there. Time ticked by and everything sat as still as it was before. He only released his breath when his chest burned and his lungs screamed for air. He waited a little longer but when his phone started beeping with a text from Cisco he finally told himself it was time to go.

He got to his feet, slowly stretching out his legs to ease the tension in his knees. He stepped forward and placed his hand atop of her grave, leaning over to press a kiss against the cool stone. It felt the same as when he kissed her cold cheek for the last time fourteen-years-ago. Tears burned his eyes, running along the rim of his eyelids. "I miss you so much," he whispered.

A breeze brushed against the back of his neck. The blades of grass on the rolling hills swayed, like waves in the ocean. It rustled the leaves on the trees surrounding the cemetery, caressing the petals on the flowers around them. And then he smelled it, the sweet scent of lilacs wafting past his nose. Goosebumps popped up on his skin as the breeze blew again, caressing against his skin on his neck. Like his mother used to do.

"_Don't give up…_" the wind whispered in the trees. His heart thumped hard against his chest. He swore it sounded exactly like his mother's voice. "_You can do it. Keep going._" He rolled his shoulders back, they felt lighter. Much lighter than they had before. Backing away, he smiled a watery smile at his mothers grave and then took off running.

_Thanks, Mom_.

**_# # #_**

"No, Dad…it wasn't my fault, I—yes. Yes. Okay, that part _was_ mine but…Dad. _Dad!_" Sage removed her phone from her ear, gaping at the blinking time duration in the corner before the screen turned off. "Well, fuck you too," she grumbled at the blank screen before shoving her phone back into her pocket. She heaved a sigh and pushed a hand through her hair. Just what she needed to end her long day, her father screaming at her over her damaged bike. He couldn't even be happy that she was still alive, but that didn't surprise her.

She rubbed her arm where the IV had sat before as she strode towards the parking lot to wait for Lennox to pick her up. Sure, she probably should have skipped dance classes that night but he would rather be doing _something_ than sitting around doing nothing all night. And besides, she felt fine.

She paced on the sidewalk while waiting for her ride to come pick her up. Lennox wasn't that far away, what could be taking her so long? She just _had_ to miss class today; Sage hoped that random guy was worth it. She reached into her pocket again to check the time when the sound of rapid footsteps sounded behind her. She turned, half expecting it to be Barry, but then gasped as the figure loomed over her. Before she could react, the figure lifted its arm and punched her across the face. She was out cold before she hit the rough pavement of the sidewalk.

Harsh laughter rumbled within the figure's chest as he reached down and picked up the limp girl, slinging her over his shoulder. "I got her, Boss," Mick relayed to the ear piece nestled within his ear. "I'm coming back now."

* * *

_**a/n**_ \- Whew! Thanks to everyone for being patient with me between updates! I hope this chapter made up for it. Now, the biggest thing that bothers me in the Flash is, if Iris is supposed to be so investigative, why did it take her so long to start to put together the particle accelerator accident and how it affected Central City. So, to fix it, Iris catches on faster. She deserves that, I think. Also I was a bit upset to see that Iris and Barry didn't have scenes where they were more affected by their friendship break. Okay, I get that you don't want too much time dedicated to it for a tv show but, come on, they're supposed to be childhood friends! I figured they'd take it more like a break up than anything else.

On that note, I was also sad that we never saw Barry at his mother's grave in the show. He seems to close to her that I felt, as much time as he spends speaking to his dad, he'd go and talk to his mom too. And after Bette dying despite how hard he tried to help he'd need to have someone to talk to, someone unbiased. And who better than his mom?

Sage's codename has been teased in this chapter so whoever figures it out gets a shot out. Plus we get a look underneath the outlook of her abilities and how she handled them in the past. It can't be easy knowing something you are will kill you in the future.

Again, thanks for all the reviews and favs and alerts! I really appreciate it. Please read and review!

~C.M.

P.S. Those who watch Legends of Tomorrow, are you guys enjoying it? I'm absolutely _loving_ it so far! I like Ray there a lot more than I did in Arrow and Stein is a great part of the show, I enjoy him a lot. Snart and Mick, of course, are great comedic spots in the show. Sara I'm in the middle with, I like her sometimes and sometimes I don't. Right now I'm not really a fan of Carter and Kendra, I feel like there could be more done with them. Jax I think is good to have around as the young, inexperienced member to everything compared to the rest and Rip I'm enjoying a lot.


	16. Wishful Thinking

**_Chapter 15:_**

**_Wishful Thinking  
_**

The dank scent of mold wafted past Sage's nose, stirring her from her unconscious state. Her head and face throbbed in time with her heart beat. The rough floor scratched against her cheek as she shifted, looking around. Darkness was nestled in every nook and cranny of the room save for the old, flickering light that rocked to and fro above her head, emitting an eerie _creak…creak…creak…_ with each swing.

She sucked in a breath only to cough and choke on the dirt and dust particles that shot down her throat. Her lungs screamed for clean air and tears sprang to her eyes as she tried to get her breath back. Her coughing fit steadily subsided and she looked around the room for any sort of familiar marking or escape but there were no windows, no ventilation, and no chance. There was always the door but what if she was safer inside than she was in the hall or whatever was on the other side of the door.

She stood, pressing her palm to her aching head, and tried to think back to what happened, how she got there but she drew a big blank. She remembered being in S.T.A.R. Labs and then…nothing. Nothing until she woke up…wherever she was. Was she still even in Central City? Her heart gave an extra hard lurch at the intruding thought. She swallowed thickly and slowly got to her feet. There was no sense in waiting around; Joe and Iris were probably worried about her.

At that thought her hands started frantically patting her pockets and then her heart dropped when she felt nothing. Her phone, her wallet, her keys were all gone. "Fuck!" she uttered, her hands still patting her pockets to make sure that they were, in fact, empty and that her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She blew out a breath and gave her head a firm nod. Standing around wasn't going to make her situation better, getting out was the best choice. The only choice.

Sage had only taken one step towards the door when it swung open and hit the opposite wall with a bang. She flinched at the sound; it seemed to echo around in her skull as it echoed around the room. Lips pressing together, she tried to calm her shallow breathing by taking deep, slow breaths. A heavy, dirt-covered boot slipped out of the darkness, the boom of the footfall made her heart race. It was followed by another, a sliver of a patchy green pants hem brushed the top of the boots with every step. Sage's eyes followed the visitor and the further they walked into the room, the wider her eyes became and it wasn't until they stood beneath the swinging light did her vocal chords start working again.

"D-Dad?" she gasped, peering at him. She blinked once, twice, three times; she rubbed at her eyes, feeling the sting in the corners and seeing colors and stars burst beneath her palms. But no matter how many times she rubbed at her eyes he didn't go away. "_Daddy._"

Austen Moreaux stood tall beneath the swinging light, his eyes set in a hard stare that made Sage shrink beneath it. The scars stretching across the left side of his face looked angrier beneath the low fluorescence in the room; deeper due to the shifting and contrasting light. His lips were tight, pressed together in a thin line and his muscles bulged and strained beneath the constricting fabric of his fatigues as he crossed his arms.

"Daddy, I can't believe it. You're _here!_" Sage crossed the distance between them in a flash and flung her arms around his waist, burying her face into his stomach. She heard him grunt at the contact but it only made her hold onto him tighter. Her dad was there, her dad would save her. Everything would be fine now. She dropped her arms and backed away, smiling up at him. "You're in Central City," she stated. "I didn't think…you didn't call, after what happened. I thought you didn't hear but…you're _here_."

Her cheeks began to hurt from how hard she was smiling. Hell, she couldn't remember the last time she smiled this big around her father. After all that time away from him, the four long, tense, quiet years, she wasn't sure he even cared about her anymore, let alone coming all the way from Canada for her. She wondered how he had found her, how he had known exactly where she was when she didn't even know but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that he was here with her and that her heart had warmed so much it could burn a hole through her chest.

"Okay, well…let's get out of here," Sage said, motioning to the door.

But Austen didn't move. He trained his eyes on her; the one cloudy eye always made her squirm beneath his gaze and now wasn't an exception. The stony expression on his face, if possible, got harder. His lips finally parted, one side of his mouth drooping a little due to the weakened muscle, and he said, "You're pathetic."

His words slapped her so hard she had to take a step back. Her breath caught in her throat and her ears buzzed. "W-what?"

"Relying on everyone else to save you. Can't even get yourself out of trouble." He grunted. "What a waste of a child. What a waste of my name."

"Dad, I—"

"Have you suddenly lost all respect while being away? It's _sir_ to you," he bellowed, making her jump. "I knew I shouldn't have let you go live with _Joe_ of all people. You've lost all your damn sense, not that you had much in the first place. Look at you!" He made a show of looking her up and down. She rubbed the front of her boots together and hung her head; her hair cascaded in front of her face, shielding herself from him. Austen grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at his sneer. "Fake hair, pierced nose, barely-there clothes, what a disgrace! You look like a tramp, is that the attention you want to bring to yourself?"

"S-sir—"

"_Shut up!_" Her entire body tensed at the force of his shout, seizing up, before it loosened only for tremors to take over as she stared at her feet. "Did I tell you to speak to me?" Lips clamped together, she shook her head frantically. Maybe if she didn't speak, didn't make a sound he'd calm down and things would be fine. "Can't even work with common sense. I'm surprised you managed to stay in school for so long, with your lack of sense. What a waste." Spittle landed on her face with the force of his hissing but she didn't dare brush it away. His thumbs began to press against her jaw. Her heart began to beat hard against her ribs. "Can't do anything right, you're so fucking useless. Better to be a money drain on Joe than me. Let someone else deal with you, see how worthless you are. Don't know how anyone can go without drinking to stand you." With a turn of his wrist, he moved her head and then lowered his face so his mouth was by her ear to hiss, "You will _never_ amount to anything."

Sage squeezed her eyes shut. She remembered being five, running around the house with a towel tied around her shoulders like a cape. She had run into the kitchen for lunch and, in her haste, knocked over her glass of grape juice. Austen screamed at her for making a mess and made her stand in a corner with her nose to the wall for hours on end. She remembered being eight and playing with balloons left over from a party. One had popped in her hands and the next thing she knew she was on the floor with Austen's hands on her throat, him screaming in his purple-faced, blind rage. She remembered being fourteen and rushing home to gush about the Homecoming dance within a few weeks only to spend the night of said dance pacing around her yard, picking up any and every stick she found because she got a C plus on a science test. She remembered being seventeen, coming home from a date with an older friend and was made to stand on a street corner in town with the thickest turtleneck and baggiest jeans she could find while holding a sign that read 'I date and dress up because I have no respect for myself'.

All of those she glossed over; put a smile on her face and looked past it to keep the peace in the Moreaux household and her life. It was much easier than fighting back because she could never win. He was bigger, taller, faster, louder, and stronger than she.

Blood rushed in her ears, her heart thumped hard against her chest. Her fingers curled and her teeth clenched. She wrenched herself out of his grasp, grabbing his wrist and twisted it backwards. She could feel his muscles straining beneath her hand but still she pulled. "Do not…touch me…ever…_again!_" With a final tug, Sage pulled his hand back hard enough that a loud _crack_ shot through the room.

Austen grabbed at his broken wrist, howling in pain but that wasn't enough for her. With a solid thrust of her palm to his chest, he was thrown backwards, knocked off his feet. Austen barely touched the ground when Sage crossed the distance between them, climbing atop of him. Energy surged through her body, she couldn't control it. She slammed her fists into his face over and over again even when she drew blood she didn't stop. She felt his nose break beneath her hand, felt his teeth pop and loosen in his gums but still she didn't stop.

His face began to squish under her hands, blood forming a sticky layer over his battered skin. Little bubbles by his mouth popped as he gurgled and when he tried to push her off she simply grabbed his other good arm and gave that a sharp twist, breaking the bones with little effort. He needed to hurt, he needed to feel the same pain she did, the same pain that poked at her day in and day out like an exposed nerve.

Somewhere in her blind fury her gloves had come off. Her knuckles ripped open and she couldn't tell whose blood was whose anymore. Her chest heaved and her breaths were shallow and her father had stopped moving but that wasn't enough for her. Not nearly enough. Gritting her teeth, she wrapped her hands around his throat. Beneath the pulp of his face she could see his eyes widen beneath the swollen skin and his cracked, damaged mouth parted to allow him to utter a strangled scream.

She could feel waves of cold ebb and flow on the palms of her hands and she watched as he tried to fight back but as the seconds ticked by his motions slowed. She expected to see his body stiffen much faster than Austen was but then, she wasn't freezing him. His body wasn't covered in a layer of ice, there were no traces of frost clumps in his hair nor did he have a blue tint to his skin. Her shoulders dropped and she panted heavy breaths as she slowly uncurled her fingers from his now still form. Sweat beaded at her hairline and she swallowed thickly, backing away as she started at him. She hesitantly reached out a hand and touched the blood on his face, only to recoil and press the back of her hand to her mouth when she found that it was frozen. She didn't freeze him, she froze his blood.

A heavy weight dropped onto her chest and she found it hard to breathe as she scrambled backwards until she was tucked into a corner. She stared at the lifeless body that was once her father and blinked hard. She couldn't have just…. She couldn't have really just…. _This has to be a dream. Wake up, wake up, WAKE UP! _ She blinked and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands, gagging when she realized she smeared blood across her eyes. Her saliva thickened and soured, collecting in her mouth as she stared over at her father. But the longer she looked at him the more distorted her vision became, as if a glitch was shaking a computer screen. And with every twitch of her vision the body changed, it flickered back and forth between the tall, strong, camouflage covered body and a smaller, shorter, all-black covered one.

"What the fu…" Sage muttered. She closed her eyes and gave her head a hard shake. The black-clothed body still lay on the ground. If that wasn't her father, then who…?

She let out a scream at the fiery hot pain that pounded in her head. Each throb made her stomach clench and another round of thick saliva to pool in her mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes and it felt like a hot poker was pressed against her temple. What started as a small tremble soon took over her entire body, her limbs jerked in every direction and her head bounced up and down akin to a bobble-head doll. Her eyes rolled up in her head and a trickles of blood seeped out of her nostrils as the color slowly faded from her face.

The door opened and Leonard sauntered into the room, Mick railing behind him. He paused by the man lying on the floor and peered down at him, humming as he nudged the still man with his foot. He turned on his heel and walked over to where Sage was still in the corner. He lowered until he was balancing on his toes and took her chin in his hand, turning her head this way and that.

"Hmm. Thought the blood was supposed to come out of their eyes," he said with a click of his tongue. He stood and turned only to roll his eyes. "Mick, it's not nice to poke things," he noted, squinting at the sight of Mick jabbing his large finger into the side of the man's face.

"She turned his face to mush," Mick noted.

"It's the serum."

"She froze his _blood_." Mick stood up. "Who was this guy?"

"He took a cut of money I was owed thinking I wouldn't notice," Leonard replied. "He's not important."

"Okay, so how's she important?" Mick jabbed his finger in Sage's direction. "I may be a criminal but I draw the line at sexual misconduct."

Leonard stopped and stared at him partially because of what he suggested and partially because he was able to utter the word 'misconduct' without help. He closed his eyes and let out an elongated sigh through his nose. He cut off Mick's rambling about leaving DNA traces behind with a swift lift of his hand. "The Streak has two weaknesses, Mick," Leonard said, "saving people and the cold. It slows him down. What better way to slow him down completely than to have him save someone he seems to know that can also be his Achilles Heel?"

"Okay." Mick nodded his head slowly. "I get that—"

"_Do_ you?" Leonard interrupted, an eyebrow lifting ever so slightly.

"—but why did we inject her with that stuff?"

"Because, Mick, that stuff enhances people. It makes them stronger, faster, tougher. They have enhanced healing, senses, reflexes, stamina, and endurance."

"Right. So why didn't we use it on us?"

"Because _this_ Mirakuru had…a special ingredient added to it. Something that will be hard to find a cure for," Leonard replied, turning back to the shaking girl on the floor. "Something that we wouldn't be able to handle. It would kill us right away but this…this will be a slow death. Not just for her but for the Streak, too. Two birds with one stone and then Central City will be ours again."

"But Boss, didn't you say that you were getting bored before?"

"Trust me, Mick, this will be all the entertainment I need," Leonard replied. "Watch her," he ordered a second later as he headed back towards the door.

"What if she tries to fight back?"

Leonard had his hand on the doorknob when his partner asked his idiotic question. His fingers curled around the knob and he had to resist the strong urge not to put a bullet in his head. When he wasn't trying to wrangle Mick and keep him from burning off his own face he had to stop him from asking such asinine questions. It was almost like dealing with a perpetual eight-year-old. "Then shoot her," he replied. "I can trust you to do that at least, can't I?"

Leonard didn't wait for Mick to answer before he left the room. He didn't have any time to waste on listening to Mick's ranting and raving about how he always had Snart's back. He navigated through the halls until he got to the one secluded room he could call his own. There weren't many places in their string of safe houses that he could claim as his own. This one certainly had its benefits but he knew they couldn't stay there for too long. They never stayed anywhere longer than they had to.

Leonard made sure the door was closed behind him and immediately went for the lone desk in the room. A broken, rusted, beat up cabinet sat in the corner and a single lamp sat atop of the desk, illuminating the motes that floated in the air. The chair exploded in a cloud of dust when Leonard crashed down into it and he lazily waved it away as he pulled open one of the stubborn drawers. He brushed past the faded yellow, crumpled and wrinkled papers and pulled out a black bag.

He unzipped the top and it popped open right away due to the amount of bills shoved in it. The fake leather was beginning to strain against the stack of money. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out another fistful of money that was rightfully owed to him. It was beginning to become a bother that those he hired to work with him tried to pull one over on him. There was a reason he was the one who called the shots, one would think they'd trust him by now.

The money made a humming sound as he flipped through it, counting it in a rapid manner. His thumb skimmed over the top of the bills as the 10s and 20s flashed before his eyes. The larger the bills the more chance he had of them being traced. He counted three times to be sure the money was there, and it was, all $1500. He laid that down on the desktop and recounted the money in bag only to slam his fist upon the wooden surface. He ran his hand down over his mouth, brushing his thumb over his bottom lip.

He scratched behind his ear and drummed his thumb against the desk as he wracked his brain. He knew he was short but he was much shorter than he wanted to be at this point. How was it possible? He counted everything; he knew how much money he had on him down to the very last cent. He recouped everything he had lost before; made sure he got the money he was owed, split everything with Mick that they both worked on. There was no way he made a mistake. He didn't _make_ mistakes. Mistakes only left him vulnerable and, after living with Lewis Snart, that was not an option he was willing to take.

He leaned back in his chair and drew an arm across his eyes. The last mistake he had made on a mission resulted in him being smacked around by his father as he was pinned to the floor, unable to escape.

He was woken from his sleep at some ungodly hour of the night, his father ushering him out of bed and when he tried to take his stuffed bear, Mr. Fluffington, with him he was told to leave it behind and to hurry up for Pete's sake. They had to get in and out before his mother woke up.

It was cold that night and, having hit a recent growth spurt, the hem of Leonard's—Leo at the time— pajamas sat a few inches above his ankles. But the cold didn't affect him anymore; he'd been locked out of the house and made to sleep on the porch more often than he'd like to admit. He obediently followed behind his father who kept shushing him and telling him to lay low as they squeezed their way through the shoddy wooden fence that separated their yard from their neighbors' yard.

"Daddy, I don't think they're home," Leo commented, looking up at the large, looming darkened house. "There are no lights on."

"I know, son," Lewis replied, grabbing Leo by the shoulder. "They want us to…check and make sure everything's okay. That's all we're going to do. Make sure everything's okay."

"But why don't we just call the police?" Leo asked.

"Because they'll take too long," Lewis said, his voice tight. "Now get _over_ here. Try and squeeze through this window." He pointed towards the window above their heads.

Leo looked up at it. The window was open, he could see the curtains on the inside swaying to and fro due to the light breeze. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked back and forth between the window and his father. "Daddy, I just wanna sleep."

"And you'll get some sleep after you get your fucking ass through the window!" Lewis snarled, shoving Leo forward.

He stumbled a few steps and regained his balance soon after. Leo looked over his shoulder at his father once more only to see _that_ look on his father's face. He heaved a sigh and crept closer to the window. He grabbed onto the windowsill and managed to lift himself up. He slid through the window on his stomach, grunting at the splinters snagging on the front of his shirt. He rolled forward, bracing his hands on the floor to somersault into the house.

It was weird being in his neighbor's house at night. He went over many afternoons to watch cartoons and eat candy when his dad was out and his mom was working at the diner. They had a deer head on the wall that was cool during the day but at night, as it stared down at him with beady, glass eyes, it gave him the willies.

"Will you hurry your fat-ass up and let me in?" Lewis hissed from the other side of the window. "We don't have much time."

Leo grumbled under his breath and walked for the front door. If they were just checking on the house for their neighbors, what were they rushing for? His feet padded over the hardwood covered floor, a few of them creaked beneath his weight. He twisted the deadbolt and the lock on the door handle, grasped it, and popped it open with a tug.

His heart dropped into his stomach as a high pitched whistle sounded off by his head. He whipped his head around, looked up, and bit his lower lip. When had that alarm system been installed? He didn't remember seeing it there the last time he came over. His blood ran cold and his heart thump, thump, thumped against his chest. Did that mean the police were coming? Was he going to be thrown in jail? Was he never going to see his mom ever again?

"Don't just stand there, you fucking retard!" Lewis yelled, bursting onto the front step. He reached in through the door, grabbed a fist full of Leo's shirt, and yanked him so hard Leo's feet didn't touch the ground until they were halfway across the yard, rushing back to their house as the lights began to turn on in their neighbor's house.

Leo stood with his nose pressed against the glass once the police officers showed up moments later. A crowd of other neighbors had formed in the street to watch and ask questions; Lewis was a part of it, mastering the proper look of sleep-induced confusion. It was such a good act Leo didn't realize he had done anything wrong until his father yanked him out of his bed by his ankle, held him to the floor, and started beating him on the behind with his belt so hard that he couldn't sit properly for the next couple of days. And he hadn't made a mistake ever since.

Leonard dropped his arm from his eyes and tapped his fingers against his chin. There were plenty of ways to make extra money, more pieces to steal, more "deals" to get paid for, there was a never ending supply of opportunities for him. But then, there _was_ one easier way…

He pressed his lips together and then reached into the drawer again, this time pulling out a ring. It was a pretty little thing: silver with a ring of diamonds on the top and bottom. In the middle, bands of gold intertwined, nestling four repeating stones in them: sapphire, topaz, emerald, and ruby. He brushed his finger along the inscription on the inside—_Our Family is Forever_—and let out a humorless laugh at the notion. Forever doomed, perhaps. Though his mom was lucky, she managed to get out. He didn't foresee that in his future, but Lisa maybe…

He held the ring in his palm, shame filtered over him but it was fleeting. He had stolen it ages ago, surely he would be over it by now. Then again, it _was_ his grandmother's and it didn't really belong to him. It was destined for Lisa but…she didn't know that. And if it was going to help her one day anyway, what did it matter if he sold it? He curled his fingers around the ring and set it aside. He wasn't that desperate yet and, if he could work things out, he could get Lisa the money _and_ give her the ring like his grandmother wanted to years ago.

His eyes flickered up towards the door when Mick announced that she had stopped shaking and was conscious. He didn't reply, instead he stood and followed behind his partner, wiping every inch of emotion from his face. His cold gun thumped against his leg as he walked through the corridors, back into the room that housed his two victims.

"Rise and shine," Leonard said once he was close enough to the girl for her to hear him. She looked up at him from the floor. She used her elbows to push herself up into a sitting position, trying to tuck herself into the corner she had squeezed herself into. The bruises and swelling on her face had faded.

"What do you want from me?" Sage croaked. Her lips were cracked and her words stuttered as they came out of her quaking mouth. "If you want money or something…I don't have much. College student, what can you do?"

"I don't want your money," Leonard replied.

She lifted her chin, holding his gaze. "Then what do you want?"

Leonard's mouth pulled back in the corners. "I want you."

**_# # #_**

Central City used to be synonymous with their advances in science, technology, and architecture but was now becoming synonymous with the weird and strange. First were reports of The Streak, of which everyone ignored before. A blur running around saving people? It was on the same level as aliens. But as time went on even the existence of aliens began to seem plausible in light of what Central City went through. Especially with reports of a man that could turn to steel and a man who could siphon electricity popping up within a few weeks of each other. And now, when Eddie thought things could go back to normal, there were reports of people around the city becoming irrationally angry and violent out of nowhere.

If he knew going into becoming a deputy would involve having to deal with the frequent unusual cases, he would have had second thoughts about it. It was one thing for the city to put their trust into the police department but now to put their trust into The Flash (as he was now named)? Someone that could turn his abilities around on them in an instant? It was foolish and, frankly, dangerous. And he didn't understand how he was the only one who thought so.

Being with Iris, one of the Flash's main supporters, was challenging some days. It seemed that she was the only one who was allowed to have opinions on him and they had to be good ones. Any time he tried to voice his own opinions on the matter, realistic ones, he was shot down and he was put in the doghouse. He liked her, he really did, but being caught on the fierce end of her stubborn nature was hardly his idea of fun. And if there was any subject that could bring that out of her, it was the Flash.

Sometimes it felt like he was the third man in their relationship. At first he felt it was Barry that was getting between them, he was always around Iris and tended to pop up in their conversations. Not that it bothered him, they were best friends of course and everyone liked Barry, even Captain Singh as much as he tried to hide it. But they fell into a groove over time that worked and he could even call Barry a friend so he wasn't the obstacle anymore.

It was this…this Streak, no, _the Flash._ The masked being that was going around saving the city like it was its playground. And Iris…the stars in her eyes that appeared whenever she spoke about the Flash used to be the same stars she got around him. But those were dull and they weren't as bright as those associated with the Flash and that left him disgruntled. He used to be Iris's hero. If she didn't see him as a hero anymore, how long was it until she didn't see him as a part of her life anymore?

After the Flash had rescued her from Tony Woodward it's almost as if she was star struck, as if she had spotted Hugh Dancy drinking coffee at Jitters. The Flash wasn't doing much more than the CCPD was, he had the advantage of being faster, that's all. The CCPD was still around for a reason. He was still a detective for a reason. If they weren't needed then the Flash could handle everything and they could retire. But Eddie was used to being needed, _needed_ to be needed even and this Flash was throwing a wrench into his job and livelihood.

Eddie finally rolled out of bed, forcing himself to see the day. He had the day off work and, like the few before; he didn't know what to do with himself. He could go to the gym but that only took up a small part of his day. If he could work all the time he would, having so much time to be idle drove him crazy.

He paced around his apartment, turned on the news to keep up to date, ate a couple bowls of cereal and went to get the mail for his elderly neighbor. By the time he was finished with all of that barely an hour had gone by. Huffing a breath he decided to change his clothes and go for a run. Maybe some fresh air would do him some good.

Once out of the apartment complex and on the street he took on an easy jogging pace, weaving his way between the stragglers on their way to work. The bright sun over the city seemed to glaze everything in a golden glow and the light, crisp breeze felt like heaven on his skin. It wasn't long before he was pushing himself to run faster to bring his target heart rate up. Wind whistled in his ears and tugged at his clothes as she dashed down the street, heading towards the park. He always ran around the park twice in the morning before heading back to the apartment. Today he wanted to see if he could beat his old time.

His shoes slapped against the sidewalk, his cheeks puffed with every breath. Sweat dripped down the side of his face, the faint traces of salt touching his tongue but still he pushed on. He ran by moms pushing strollers, older women power walking, people walking their dogs, and visitors sitting on the park benches reading the morning paper and drinking coffee. All the colors flew by in a fuzzy blur, smearing together as he neared the end of his run. He sucked in his breath and sprinted the last few feet, only coming to a stop when he felt as if his lungs were going to explode. He glanced at his watch to check his time, his chest heaving as he tried to get his breath back.

His lips split into a wide grin when he saw that he did, in fact, beat his old time. A swell of elation rose through him; there was certainly no way his younger, heavier self could ever achieve such a feat. But the joy in him was soon cut down by an intruding thought: _The Flash can run faster than this._

He immediately rid his mind of the burning thought and scoffed. The Flash, what was so great about him? After all, nothing strange happened in Central City until _he_ came along. His body jerked with the hard jolt of realization. He had to be behind everything, every strange occurrence in the city, his city. The Flash had to be the one bringing them there, to them, causing all this trouble. Yes, that had to be it. The Flash was behind everything! If he could only get everyone to see…

A newfound spring entered his step and it propelled him all the way back to his apartment. He took a quick shower and threw on some clothes before hopping into his car to drive back into the city. It wasn't long before he reached C. C. Jitters and he practically bounded out of the car like a puppy just to get inside, partially because he could finally tell Iris what he was thinking and partially just to see Iris in general. She always made his day better with little effort.

"Iris, hey," he greeted her with a wide smile once he got up to the counter.

"Eddie!" her smile mimicked his and it set his heart aflutter. "Did we have plans?" she asked a second later, her eyebrows furrowing as a worried expression settled on her face.

"No, I came to surprise you," he replied reaching out his hand. She motioned to Tracey that she would be just a minute and took his hand, walking around the counter. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips which made her smile return.

"I like these surprises," she replied, lightly wrapping her arms around his waist. "What have you been up to all morning?"

"Oh, the usual. Watched the news, got the paper, went for a run," he replied. He lowered his voice and added, "I missed waking up next to you. Do you think you can come over tonight?"

Iris bit her lip and backed away from her, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "I don't know. I think I should be home."

Eddie gently took her hands. "Iris, I'm sure Sage is fine now. She doesn't need you watching over her." Ever since Lennox found Sage wandering around Central City in daze after not showing up in their meeting place a couple weeks ago, Joe and Iris had been preoccupied trying to figure out what happened and making sure she was okay. It was better than being preoccupied with The Flash but he wasn't foolish enough to say that out loud.

"She hasn't come in for her coffee."

"Call the police," Eddie said in mock horror. Iris slapped him on the arm and he sighed. "Look, Iris—I shouldn't have made a joke, I'm sorry. But I _would_ like to see my girlfriend every now and then and not in between work and classes. We can take a walk around the city, just you and me. We can even go to that Mexican restaurant you've always wanted to go to."

"Eddie, you hate Mexican."

"I know but I…" he paused and quickly switched the words he was about to use, "_really_ like you."

Iris's cheeks darkened and she bashuffly looked down at her feet. Eddie smiled, thinking he had been successful when she looked back up and said, "I'm sorry, I would if I could but I'm meeting someone."

He blinked. "Meeting someone?" he repeated.

She nodded. "Just to talk about some things."

"Are…you cheating on me?" His heart gave a painful lurch at the dreaded word.

Iris laughed. "No, of course not! It's just…a piece I'm writing for a class. It's really important, worth quarter of my grade and I kind of don't want any distractions." She gave his hand a squeeze. "Rain check?"

Eddie sighed but nodded his head. "Sure, rain check," he replied. He turned his cheek when she stood up on tiptoes and smiled at the warmth where her lips touched his skin. "Can I read the article later?"

"Of course. But I have to get back to work, okay? I'll see you later."

Iris rushed off and went back behind the counter. Eddie watched her interacting with the customers for a moment before leaving. He casually walked back to his car and sat looking at the storefront for a moment.

He couldn't shake off the odd weight that had settled upon his shoulders. Why couldn't she just tell him who it was that she was meeting? It wasn't as if he'd get jealous about it, he trusted her completely. He twisted his mouth to the side and then brushed his hand across the stubble on his mouth and then turned the ignition. Oh well, it was nice that she had her own interests. He had his as well and, for now, they all revolved around The Flash and just what it was exactly that he wanted from Central City.

* * *

_**a/n:**_ Well, what did you think of this chapter? We get some good insight into Sage, Snart, and Eddie when it comes to their families and internal self-esteem plus Snart's plan is revealed! And as of now we are officially finished with part one of this story! Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me between updates. None of you got Sage's codename right but a lot of you were close, I can say it does start with the letter S. I can also say that it will be revealed next chapter. What also comes with the next chapter? The Arrow crew!

As another treat for being so patient with me between updates, I'll tell you a few fun-facts about this story: when I first thought of the idea for this story, my character's codename was going to be Sage. I hadn't thought of what her first name was going to be but I had the idea of her metahuman abilities was to be able to decipher any language put in front of her be it spoken, coding, scientific, archaic, or body language. But then I felt it was a tad lame so I nixed that idea, haha. Then in came the idea of making her Iris's family and, seeing that Iris was a flower-based name and Sage was also a flower-based name, I moved that to become her first name. Also I had thought of her just being a normal human but, after really thinking about Snart and his cold gun, I thought (especially since we didn't know a thing about Killer Frost and her part in the show at the time) what would happen if someone on Barry's team was his weakness? And here we are!

Thanks to all that have fav'd, alerted, and reviewed so far, I appreciate the support so so much and I'm glad to see you're enjoying this story. Please read and review!

~C.M.


	17. Green Eyes (1)

**_Chapter 16:_**

**_Green Eyes_**

Joe has always harbored an adept ability at noticing changes in people; it frequently came in handy in his line of work—he could spot a guilty suspect almost as soon as they entered the room for questioning—but when it came to the troubles of those around him his insight became a little tricky. Namely if something was bothering people, knowing how to approach others with their grievances became a lesson in trial and error.

With Barry and Eddie it was easy: all he had to do was ask and they would unload their problems. Joe would give a little bit of insight or advice and it was over and done with. When it came to Iris, the situation was a little hard to handle. They were close enough that Iris was open with her troubles, of which Joe appreciate and took to heart, but sometimes he got more information than he needed and would go two ways around the problem until, at the end, they _finally_ got there and Joe felt exhausted; as if he had been on a long trip. But, like Barry and Eddie, he could give his two cents and know that Iris would take his stance to heart and work things out from there. Sage, on the other hand, it was like pulling teeth with her to get her to talk about anything that bothered her. The weeks following her disappearance and subsequent reappearance were tense to say the least.

He took full responsibility for that. After all it wasn't every day that a being wrapped in red lighting whisked around your home, destroying important case files only to leave as fast as it came with a threatening message left behind. Every time he closed his eyes the message reappeared—_Stop or ELSE_—but it was a different picture lodged beneath the kitchen knife, flashing between Iris and Barry and Sage and himself. He could defend himself, his family, and his home well but when it came to facing metahumans, it was all new territory. So he tightened his reins to ensure their safety, such as insisting on receiving a text anytime Barry, Iris, or Sage went out, when they reached their destination, when they left, and when they returned. He briefly considered posing a curfew on them as well but cut off that train of thought. It wouldn't be fair to impose one on Iris and Barry.

Then again, living beneath a cloud of worry wasn't fair either but that came with the territory of being a police detective. Those that he caught and stopped, they held vendettas so day in and day out a part of his mind sat and wondered: is today the day I get a phone call about Iris getting hurt? Is today the day I learn that Barry had to suffer for my life choice? Is today the day this all comes crashing down? Putting on his badge used to feel like he was tying a cape around his neck allowing him to swoop in and save the day but the older he got and, subsequently, the older his family got the more the cape ties started to loosen and the more he worried that he couldn't protect his family as well as he vowed to protect his city. With the emergence of metahumans, those worries were beginning to feel more concrete than they ever had before.

Joe's head still couldn't wrap around the latest news in the metahumans world. Nothing should be so farfetched anymore but it seemed every week, every new threat was even stranger than last week's. Now this new person, what was the term Barry used? _Whammied_ people, altering their personalities. So now not only did he have concerns about the lightning intruder coming back but there was a metahuman on the loose that could turn anyone against each other. Or, worse, anger previous metahumans that they have encountered in the past. What could they possibly be facing next?

"Detective?" Joe was yanked from his thoughts at the intruding voice of one of his armed subordinates. He was a young-looking man already but beneath his helmet and his behind his guard he looked like a child playing dress up. Like Iris on Halloween, she always tended to prefer attending the festivities dressed like a cop… "What are our orders?"

Joe cleared his throat and ran his hand along the hair coating his chin and mouth. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, turning off a section of his mind. He had to be on top of his game to tackle the metahuman's threat. "The bills had a tracker in them and they still show his whereabouts here," he addressed the group standing in front of him. "We have the upper hand but we need to move quickly, before he can escape. No one fires a single bullet without signs of aggression. We just want to get in and out and make it clean. Do you understand?"

They nodded, their hands tightening on their weapons. Joe checked his Kevlar vest, making sure it was snug, and then double checked his weapon was loaded and at the ready should he need it. Locking eyes with his team, with a single nod, he led the charge into the storage building. Their movements were quick and precise; they kept their guns drawn and the flashlights attached flooded the darkness in any corner they came across. One by one, the storage spaces on each floor were combed through until they ran into the building attendant who led them right up to the metahuman's storage space.

And then they spotted him. Joe kept his finger by the trigger on his gun, waiting for any sign to raise his weapon just in case. The man held his arms up in the air and stood still beneath the beams of their bright lights. It was easy. A bit _too_ easy. Joe could feel his muscles tense and his trigger finger twitch. He ordered one of his men to apprehend the man and then he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as the suspect's eyes turned red, like something out of a movie.

Then he noticed the gun barrel being pointed at him. A rush of sour saliva filled his mouth and he swallowed thickly as his heart _thump thump thump_ed against his chest. It was as if time slowed down; he could see his fellow officer's finger curl around the trigger, hugging it until the gun released a series of bullets. His brief order for everyone to get down rushed in his ears, mixing with the loud bang of the gun going off to form such a roar past his ears it was like he was trapped in a wind tunnel. Only death was the only outcome of it.

He felt a hard yank on his side as his world tilted and only when his shoulder slammed against the ground did he realize that he had been knocked off his feet and out of harm's way. One glimpse to his side and he felt his tight chest ease with a sigh of relief in knowing that Barry had rescued them all. Ever on high alert, Joe nearly jumped out of his skin at the distinct sound of an arrow slicing through the air before nestling in his fellow officer's chest. Once glance over his shoulder earned him the sight that he never thought he would ever see in Central City.

The Arrow. There he stood, backlit in pale shafts of light from the floors above, surveying the area before his eyes rested on Barry and he uttered "Nice mask" and he disappeared as fast as he came. The rush of wind next to him signaled that Barry had left as well and, as all things come in threes, it soon came to light that the two weren't the only ones who disappeared after the fray.

"He's gone, Detective," on officer relayed as Joe slowly got to his feet. His ankles creaked and his knees screamed as he rose to full height. "He somehow got away."

"What about the stolen money?" Joe asked, returning his gun to his holster.

"It's been left behind, Detective," another officer relayed, walking over with a box in his hands. "Seems he wanted to make a quick getaway."

"Huh. He went through all that trouble just to leave the money behind?" Joe mused aloud. "That doesn't sound right." He tried to think of just what it was the man wanted but his mind was cluttered with other questions to weed though, all that were related to the masked man in green.

Joe's eyes widened and his eyes darted over to where his fallen officer, Certo, lay. Two arrows poked out of the front of his chest and he lay still on the ground but he was groaning. Joe thanked anyone that could hear him for having the man make such a sound. Chyre was one thing, having another officer go down under his watch was unacceptable.

"Okay," Joe muttered, brushing a few beads of sweat off the side of his head. "Sweep the perimeter and secure it. I want to make sure he's actually gone. And then we'll put out an APB on this guy after speaking with the owner."

The officer nodded and went off to spread around the information regarding Joe's orders. Joe, still with his hands wrapped around his gun, looked around, checking to see if anyone was watching him and slipped away. He made his way back through the storage space, rushing down the set of stairs and made a beeline for the door, bursting through them. He looked to his left and to his right, scanning the grounds until he saw a flash of yellow lighting in a nearby alley.

"Everything alright, Bare?" Joe asked once he approached.

"Yeah. I tried to find him, he got away too fast," Barry replied, lowering the hood to his suit.

"The guy or the vigilante?"

"Both," Barry replied. "I need to thank him."

"Thank him?" Joe repeated, his eyebrows lifting. Barry nodded. "He shot one of my officers."

"He _protected_ us, Joe," Barry insisted. "If it weren't for him, who knows what this metahumans could have done to you or to the others. It's not exactly easy to shed the reputation of a rogue cop."

Joe took his time to make sure his gun was on safety and put back into his holster before he replied. He placed his hands on his hips, shifted his weight from foot to foot and sighed. "Why is he here?"

Barry shrugged. "Maybe he's passing through."

"I hope he does," Joe replied, his words stern as he studied Barry. "There's already a lot going on in Central City, I don't need that vigilante being added to it."

Barry's eyebrow twitched. He brushed a gloved hand across his mouth and cleared his throat before reaching back to pull on his hood. "I'm going to go find him," he stated, his voice hoarse. Joe heard that voice many times and it always came up whenever Barry heard something he didn't like hearing or he wanted to change the subject. "Maybe you should get to S.T.A.R. labs, tell them what you saw and everything. Maybe they can figure out exactly what this meta is doing."

Joe nodded. He watched as Barry adjusted his costume but when he started to lean forward, signaling that he was about to run, Joe spoke up, "Be careful, Barry." That wasn't exactly what he wanted to say but it was close enough. He hoped Barry understood the underlying words he wanted to utter but they held firm, sticking to the roof of his mouth.

Barry nodded and when Joe blinked he was gone. Joe felt his body sag as he breathed out a long breath, the weight of the world crushing upon his shoulders. He waited for an ambulance to arrive for confirmation that Certo would pull through and then headed straight for S.T.A.R. Labs. His thumb tapped against the steering wheel the entire way there, his teeth clenching on his lower lip so much he was surprised that he didn't bite through to the other side.

"Detective West!" Cisco rushed out of one of the rooms a Joe approached. "That was a close call, huh? So you got up close and personal with the metahuman?"

"A little bit _too_ close," Joe replied, nodding. "Certo turned on us in an instant. And his eyes were red. Like something out of a bad horror movie."

"So the metahuman just looked at him and his eyes turned red?"

"Certo mentioned that he saw a flash of light before he went crazy," Joe replied. "That mean anything to you?"

"Other than we have a metahuman with flashlights for eyes? No," Cisco said. He breathed out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Can't get a good name out of _that_ one."

"High Beams?" Joe suggested offhandedly.

The corners of Cisco's mouth moved up and down as he strained not to laugh. "We'll save that for later," he finally uttered. Then he blinked. "Wait. Where's Barry?"

"The Starling City vigilante showed up," Joe replied, every trace of amusement that used to occupy his voice gone. "He went to speak with him."

"The Hood is _here?_" Cisco asked, his eyebrows rising. "You saw him? Like, in the flesh. For real?"

Joe nodded. "Shot one of my officers. Certo, actually. After he shot at us."

"Wow." Cisco slowly nodded his head. "The Hood is in Central City. Did you get a good look at the guy? Hear his voice? See any…distinguishing marks?" At Joe's inquisitive glance Cisco continued, "See, I have this list of people that the Hood could be. I've narrowed it down to about a hundred and…bad timing?" Cisco visibly shrank beneath Joe's steely gaze. "Okay, I'll ask later."

"Look, I need to talk to Dr. Wells. Is he around?"

"I'm right there," Harrison announced as he rolled into the room. "This is about the vigilante, I presume?" he asked, studying Joe from behind his lenses. Joe nodded. "I see. This way." He turned around and lead Joe through the series of hallways until they got to an empty room. Harrison watched Joe sit down and get comfortable before he spoke up. "I'm sure we'll find that we're on the same page when it comes to the vigilante. I don't want him here as much as you do. Or don't, rather. He's only going to cause trouble for Barry."

"Too bad he doesn't see it that way," Joe commented. He rubbed his hands together and blew out a breath. "Always believes in the best in people."

"Nevertheless, the vigilante operates on a different level than Barry. He has his own agenda and the last thing we want is for him to emulate this man. This…vengeance-seeker." Harrison pinched the bridge of his nose and then stared hard at Joe, almost as if he was trying to look through him. "That man carries something dark within him, something that Barry doesn't need to be associating with lest he take some of it back with him. He has his own goals to reach without being derailed due to our hooded visitor."

Joe merely sat back and nodded along with Harrison's evaluation of the Hood or whatever he was called. He couldn't have said it better himself. Barry didn't need that darkness; he needed support and positive influences and light in his already dark life. He needed someone who had his best interest at heart, not some stranger with a bow and arrow. He needed someone who could help keep his head on straight. He didn't need the Hood. He needed—

_You_. The sudden thought made Joe sit up straight. He felt as if he had been hit by a brick, his head pounded and his ears rang. It was such a simple thought and yet and weighed heavy, crushing down on any other thoughts that tried to occupy the space. He knew there would always come a day where Barry wouldn't be around, where Henry Allen would get out of jail and they could, possibly, pack up and move away and start anew but he never allowed himself to think long about it. It was an invasive thought, as honest as it was and here it was starting to come true. He could see Barry with one foot out the door. How long would it be until the other followed suit and he was gone out of their lives?

He swallowed, breaking the lump that had formed in his throat and replaced his brief worry with his "Detective Face": void of emotion, stern gaze, tightened jaw. "We need to discuss this with Barry, lay everything out so he understands in no uncertain terms," Joe stated.

"I agree," Harrison said with a nod. "He needs to focus on this new metahumans that is wreaking havoc."

Joe mirrored his nod. "And Sage?" Harrison's eyebrows lifted, almost as if he had never heard her name before. "What are you doing with her?"

"Don't you worry about her," Harrison replied, a shadow of a smile appearing on his face to match the gleam in his eye. Joe's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly. "I get the feeling that her time is coming up soon enough."

Joe has always harbored an adept ability at noticing changes in people; it frequently came in handy in his line of work. Dr. Wells, a confident, mild-mannered man shifted before his eyes. The light in his eyes and the smile on his face didn't line up, didn't match. It was almost as if he knew something that Joe didn't.

**_# # #_**

It felt strange staring up at the C. C. Jitters sign, like wearing someone else's sweater that was a size too small. It constricted her, squeezed her so tight it was difficult to breathe. It was a fate she suffered as of late, particularly around Barry and Iris. Her chest tightened, her head pounded, and her thoughts raced when she was in a room with either of them until she couldn't take it and came up with some sort of excuse to get away. She needed some time to herself, to decompress and think and work her way through the haze of memories that haunted every waking and sleeping moment of the past two weeks.

The questions were a constant barrage: where did she go? What happened to her? How did she wind up on the streets? Was she hurt? Did she need help? What she okay? and on and on until she felt as if a broken record had been lodged into their mouths. She had one simple answer to it all: she didn't know. She didn't know where she went, she didn't know what happened, she didn't know how she got out, she didn't know if she was hurt, she didn't know if she needed help, and she didn't know if she was okay. She just didn't _know_. But that answer went over like a lead balloon and every day she had to brace for brief conversations segueing into her disappearance. As if they had nothing else going on in their lives.

Barry and Iris had made up at some point but they were still hesitant around one another, a fact that Sage took with great interest. The Dynamic Duo falling apart? It was unheard of and yet she felt a strange sense of, dare she admit, _joy_ at watching it all unfold. But she stuffed it down and sat as an ear for both if they needed it. Of course, that was when she was too tired from avoiding them. It was the perfect time to catch her, at the end of a long day when her guard was down.

It felt nice to let her guard down at the end of the day. She didn't have to walk with her shoulders to her ears, she didn't have to increase her walking pace as if she were late to an event, and she didn't have to keep glancing over her shoulder to be sure she wasn't being watched. There was no way they knew she was there at the West house. Her briefly missing ID still held her home address in Canada. So they didn't know where she lived. And if they didn't know where she lived that meant Iris and Joe were still safe but she took extra precaution in distancing herself, just to be safe.

Though it also wasn't hard to make that decision with Joe all but breathing down her neck and demanding to know where she was, where she was going, when she would get there, when she would be back, and who she was spending time with. On one hand she understood the concerns but on the other it made her feel as if she were attached to a leash.

Since she returned she kept her head down and her mouth shut, only speaking when directly spoken to and kept her focus on her classes, her workstudy, dancing, and whatever they needed of her at S.T.A.R. Labs. She did everything was asked at S.T.A.R. Labs, providing support for Barry and helping Cisco tend to Kyle Nimbus's needs as she waited for some sort of normalcy to return to her. But as time went on she slowly accepted that it was hard for anything to return to normal when, with a single sneeze, she had frozen the toaster oven or in an attempt to stop someone from falling down the stairs she pulled their arm out of their socket, and every time she attempted to go to sleep she saw the man lying on the ground, his skin decaying and falling off in chunks or other horrifying sights her mind could come up with.

It was a _new_ normal to navigate but she was going at it alone. She refused to divulge of her nightmares when she managed to sleep, her insomnia when she didn't, her loss of time when she blinked and found herself somewhere else, the headaches so crippling she couldn't see and thought her skull was going to crack open, and the shivers so strong that she couldn't tell if she had actually been suffering from seizures instead of her body making up for the lack of a proper core body temp.

She didn't want anyone to worry any more than they already were and she didn't want help. Moreauxs didn't ask for help; no matter how many times she found herself wanting to scream the word, it became lodged behind her teeth and her thick pride. And besides, she handled it for nine months before they knew anything about her abilities, she could handle it now.

She didn't want to go to Jitters but she'd been having trouble differentiating her trembles due to the side-effects of her powers for caffeine withdrawal. It couldn't hurt to get a boost of heat while she was there, she reasoned with herself. It was enough to get her to push in through the front door where she was greeted by Iris in an instant.

"Hey, how'd it go at the mechanic?" Iris asked, cutting to the chase. Sage appreciated it, she didn't want to go through the unnecessary small talk.

"It's…going," Sage replied slowly. "The mechanic—some kid named Jax—and I kinda got into a tiff but we're working something out." Iris nodded and Sage rocked back and forth on her heels. "I was just…coming in for a drink. I need to head out so…"

"Oh, can't you wait a little longer?" Iris begged. "We hardly spend time with each other anymore."

Sage avoided Iris's pointed look, knowing that the accusation was mainly directed at her. That truth didn't stop her from replying with a click of her tongue, "That's because you're either in class, working, or with Eddie. So…"

"Yeah, well, you're with Lennox a lot too."

"Because you're with Eddie."

Iris's eyebrows crinkled. "Don't you like him?"

Sage shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, he makes you happy and he's easy on the eyes. And Uncle Joe hasn't killed him yet so there's that."

"Thank god," Iris said with a little laugh. Sage barely cracked a smile. "Okay, how about we have a girl's night soon? We can paint each other's nails and try new makeup techniques and swap clothes. Like old times."

"We'll see," Sage said in a noncommittal tone. "We're, er, adding in extra dance classes to start preparing for the competition in March. Have to keep some of my nights open." Her stomach twisted painfully at her story. It wasn't a complete lie but seeing that look on Iris's face was enough to feel like a knife had been stabbed into her gut. _This is all for her safety, remember that,_ she told herself. "We'll find some time to do something," she hastily added.

"Yeah," Iris said, her voice quiet. "Well, um, I have to get back to work but Barry's over there with Felicity if you want to say 'hi'."

"Great, great. I'll just…go and do that. Mind getting me my usual?"

"Of course."

The two girls parted ways and Sage made a beeline for Barry. As she approached he locked eyes with her and she gave a little wave in return. The past two weeks were a bit of a challenge for them, going through his past punching him in the face with Girder and then that followed with him briefly losing his abilities due to Farooq. She'd never seen him so…so unBarry-like, she couldn't even look at him it was almost as if his shell had broken and she was staring at his purest vulnerable form. That wasn't her Barry and she didn't react well. She pushed and shoved him to get back to where he was, to be better, and to be _Barry_ again. Their frustrations mounted until they reached a point that they weren't speaking. They were still easing back out of it.

"Hey," Barry greeted her once she was within earshot, "you, uh, doin' alright?"

"I'm up, willingly, before nine," Sage commented, "and right now everybody is a coffee cup with legs. I don't know how I'm going to get though this day."

"Iris said something about you not sleeping well lately."

"Yeah, it's no big deal. Just some bad dreams." The more she said they were dreams the more she could believe herself rather than accept that they were actually memories. Horrible, horrible memories. At an attempt to lighten the swiftly thickening air she added, "They were close-ups of your face."

"Oooh, burn!" Felicity broke in, earning a small smile from Sage and an eyeroll from Barry.

"Don't encourage her," Barry groaned.

"Oh you're just mad you're too _slow _to come up with a retort."

"What? What'd you say?" He held his hand up to his ear. "Sorry, can't hear you all the way from Munchkinland."

A second later Iris appeared at her side, holding two steaming mugs of coffee in her hands. Sage, on instinct, took one from her. "Sweet, thanks. Though I don't usually need a mug," she noted. As she raised the mug to her mouth she finally looked over at the person who sat closest to her. "By the way. Felicity, not that I'm not happy to see you, but what brings you here?" she asked and then took a sip. The coffee was bitter and wasn't Iris's best but she didn't comment on it.

"Well, _he_ does, actually," she replied, pointing across the table. Sage, lifting the mug to her mouth again, turned and then felt as if she had been given a strong jolt of electricity as her eyes rested on Oliver Queen. _The _Oliver Queen. Staring at her, as if she had sprouted a second head. Why was he…? She blinked, swallowed, looked down at the mug in her hand, and looked back up at him.

"Er…this is _yours_ isn't it?" she asked as she slowly lowered it from her mouth.

"Yeah," Oliver replied with a quirked eyebrow.

She looked between him and the mug a few more times and then held it out to him. "…Do you want it back?"

"That's not necessary, I can make a new one," Iris cut in, turning her large smile in Oliver's direction. "It's just black."

"Oh. No wonder it tastes gross," Sage muttered dismissively, setting it down. Her cheeks bloomed red at Felicity's and Oliver's stares and she tried to explain, "Sorry. I have, like, tunnel vision when it comes to coffee."

"That's putting it lightly," Barry quipped earning a glare from her which only made him smile innocently in return.

"So!" She turned back to Oliver, placing her hands on the table and leaning forward. "What brings _you_ to good ol' Central City?" She fluttered her eyelashes as a smile split across her face.

His eyes flickered over to her and she nearly melted into a puddle of goo on the spot. "I have some…news I need to share with Barry," Oliver stated.

At the mention of Barry's name, Sage whipped her head around and stared at him. He merely stared back at her with a bewildered expression upon his face. "How do _you_ know Oliver?"

"We met back in Starling City when I, uh, visited," Barry replied, lifting his chin in Felicity and Oliver's direction for confirmation.

"Well, now that you two are here you should see all that Central City has to offer," Sage suggested, clasping her hands together. "Bowling, nightclubs, ice skating, karaoke. We love karaoke around here. It's also the last week of bonfires before it gets too cold and—"

"We're not exactly staying long," Oliver interrupted her with a patient smile, "it's just a get in, get out sort of thing."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "You'd come all the way to Central City just for that?"

"Oliver has a very strict schedule we need to keep," Felicity stated, her words a little tight.

"Maybe next time," Oliver added.

He looked over her head and at Barry as he then spoke but it didn't ruffle Sage's feathers in the slightest. She reeled from having a conversation with him. An _actual_ conversation. She'd pinch herself to check if she was dreaming but even she couldn't come up with something this spectacular. She almost didn't notice when Iris came back over with coffee, she stared at him for so long.

"Hey, Oliver," Sage all but cooed, "has Staling City eve asked you to be on some sort of Men of Staling City calendar? Because I really think—_whoa!_" Her question remained unanswered as Barry, despite her protests, pinched the back of her jacket and began to pull her away. She managed to utter her name to Oliver and obediently followed him, falling into step with Iris as they walked away. Once out of earshot, Iris and Sage shared a look and then slapped Barry on his arms, chastising him for not sharing the news that he knew Starling City's resident playboy. Typical.

"God, I don't think I've ever met anyone more perfect in my life," Sage groaned, looking at him from across the room.

"I know, he's on my Three List," Iris informed.

"What's a Three List?" Barry asked, looking between the two star struck girls.

"My list of three guys I'm allowed to cheat on Eddie with," she replied. "You usually don't meet people on your list but…now here he is and I just cannot stop staring at him."

"Hey, back off!" Sage cut in, "you already got yourself a pretty boy, don't be greedy." She glanced at the clock on the wall again. "I gotta get to class, Len is waiting." Turing to Barry she added, "See if Oliver has a girlfriend for me."

"I'm not asking him that."

"Barry, _just check!_ God!" Sage bristled. '_Come on, hurt him. You know you want to',_ the voice returned, louder than before. The harshness wrapped around the voice's words made her recoiled a second later. Beneath Barry's shocked gaze she gave her head a shake and brushed past them. Lennox had been waiting long enough or her anyway. She put all her weight behind pushing open the door to C.C. Jitters only to internally curse when it hit someone. "Sorry, man, I didn't…" she started to apologize. A flash of green filled her vision. She blinked hard, squeezing her eyes shut and once she opened them the green haze disappeared.

And so did the man she ran into.

**_# # #_**

Roy G. Bivolo was the metahuman's name, an artist by the looks of his hideout as Barry reported before he, too, was whammied. The peculiar part about his paintings was that in every one that featured a person, the eyes had been cut out. Every single one. Cisco said that it sounded like a scene of a horror movie; Caitlin said that he watched too much TV.

Harrison ordered that the two get their eyes and minds examined to see if there was any sort of damage to them. The last thing they wanted was for Barry to be irreparably harmed (of which statement made Sage roll her eyes.) With Felicity joining them the next day, they sat around S.T.A.R. Labs talking about the past few days, their experiences with the metahumans in question—Prism as Cisco dubbed him—and just what it was that he wanted.

"So you saw flashes of red," Cisco mused aloud, removing the lollipop from his mouth to speak.

"Like Joe's partner and the people at the bank, yeah," Barry said.

"And you saw flashes of green." Cisco pointed his lollipop in Sage's direction. She nodded her confirmation. "Red induces rage but what does green do?"

"The better question is, what other colors is he capable of producing and why was _red_ the only ones we've been experiencing now?" Caitlin question, tapping her pen against the table top as she thought.

"I think this allows us to conclude that he has the entire color spectrum at his disposal," Harrison commented, steepling his fingers and tapping them against one another. "Perhaps the usual seven, with his namesake, but then, emotions come in varying degrees. Joy and sadness becoming melancholy, fear and anger as hatred, sadness and fear anxiety…" his words trailed off. "Too many variables, too much time. Barry, we can't allow this metahumans to wreak havoc on this city."

"Yeah, I got that," Barry replied, running a hand through his hair.

"So what's the game plan? Run around until we find this guy?" Sage asked. "Oops, sorry, I mean until _Barry_ finds this guy? 'Cause Barry's faster than all of us, after all." She leaned back in her chair, her hands resting on her stomach as she stared at the boy in question. "He has to handle everything."

"Are you okay?" Felicity asked her, speaking up from the corner of the room. "You're really…bitey."

"Oh, I'm _dandy_," Sage replied. "I'll just sit here, watching and waiting. Like always. Go ahead Barry, go and save the day. You're overdue."

"_What_ is your problem?" Barry demanded. "Ever since…" he paused to choose his words carefully, "ever since _that night_ you've been on my back. It'd be nice if you could get off it for once."

"Oh, I'm surprised you've noticed with your head being shoved so far up Iris's ass."

Barry's nostrils flared. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You're a smart guy, you tell me." Sage gave her head a toss and scratched behind her ear. "Always running around meeting up with her at night. Secret rendez-vous. Being with her during the day just isn't enough is it? Have to fill every waking moment with her. You know she has a _boyfriend_."

"Guys, come on, let's get back to the task at hand here," Cisco said, stepping in between them. Sage and Barry glared at one another and then turned away. "Finding and capturing this guy. So I was thinking, reflective glasses. You know, the mirror ones?" he turned to appeal to the room. "Only put the mirrors on the _other_ side so that he can get a taste of his own medicine."

"Don't you think if he could be affected by his own abilities he would be by now?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, from what I've found out Bivolo was a painter, a pretty good one at that," Felicity spoke up. "Maybe when the particle accelerator exploded, something in the paints affected his eyesight. Gave him this ability. Maybe that's why the eyes are cut out of his paintings, to reflect how his own eyes aren't like they used to be. That could be why he induces anger."

"See? Horror movie levels, right there," Cisco pointed out.

Caitlin scoffed at his comment. "Be that as it may, Barry you shouldn't have gone after him by yourself. You should have waited for help."

"Whose? Hers?" Barry asked, pointing at Sage. He laughed a little. "She can't even keep from turning a pencil into a popsicle. That's not exactly the help I want."

"Hey!" Sage jumped to her feet, bristling all the way. "It's not _my_ fault everyone around here lick's your asshole like it's made of gold!" she shouted, jabbing him in the chest with her finger. "I've wanted to help you since day one! You just won't let me! None of you will!"

"Haven't you gotten your fill of attention yet?" Barry scolded, knocking her hand out of the way. "Always dancing through hoops, keeping all eyes on you. It's almost like you can't function without some sort of attention. Grow up! Why does everything have to be about you?"

"No! Why does everything have to be about _you?_"

In the blink of an eye Sage felt her feet leaving the ground and, in the next instant, her back collided with one of the walls of the lab. She heard gasps of surprise around the room but they were soon drowned out by the blood rushing in her ears. Grabbing onto Barry's wrists, she pushed him with all her might and he was sent flying to the other side of the lab, causing Felicity and Caitlin to scurry to get out of the way. Teeth clenched, she had started for him again only to stop when she felt Cisco grabbing at her.

"That's enough you two," Harrison shouted. His voice stopped them all cold. Judging by the expressions on Caitlin's and Cisco's faces, this was the first time they'd ever heard him raise his voice above a menacing hiss. "This bickering is doing nothing but wasting time, time we _do not have_ and that should be used to get this metahumans. Whatever issues you have with one another can be settled at another time, but right now you need to _focus_."

"Yeah? Want something to focus on? Focus on my ass _leaving_," Sage spat in Barry's direction, her vision flashing green. She wrenched herself out of Cisco's grasp and stomped out of the room.

She blocked out Cisco calling for her to come back and Caitlin's mumbled comment to Felicity and Harrison's world-weary sigh as she stalked down a hall. She brought a couple of fingers to press up against her throbbing temple, hoping that a large headache wasn't soon to follow.

"You blew it. You had your chance to teach him a lesson, teach them all a lesson, and you blew it." Sage stopped walking as if her feet were glued to the spot. The voice was loud and clear this time. Too loud, too clear. Sage's breath caught in her throat and her body began to tremble. Pivoting, she slowly turned around and her eyes widened at the sight of her companion. "Who knows when you'll get another," Bette continued, stepping towards her.

"B-Bette?" Sage asked, her word hesitant. "H-how…?" her unasked question hung in the air.

Bette's eyes hardened as she brushed a waterlogged strand of hair out of her face. "Had some help. No thanks to this bunch," she replied. "They did nothing for me. All those promises for nothing. Why are you sticking around? It's clear they're not going to help you."

"There's…there's no one else," Sage muttered, her eyes darting around the hall. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real. Bette…Bette was _dead_. How was she standing here? How was she in S.T.A.R. Labs? "There's no one else…"

"You don't need them," Bette hissed. "They said they would help _me_ and look what happened. They don't care. They don't care about anyone but Barry. They don't care about you. They won't help you. So you need to help _yourself_."

Sage gulped. "How?"

"Get rid of the competition. Get rid of Barry." Bette closed the distance between them. Sage could smell the pungent scent of river water clinging to Bette's damp skin. "You're the only one who can. You can slow him down. You can _hurt_ him." She brushed a droplet of water off her nose. "And when you're done with him, you can take down Wells too."

* * *

_**A/N**_ \- Hey all, I hope you're doing well! We're finally onto (the unofficial) Part Two of _The Mark of Sage!_ From here on out, even though this story is based around show canon, there will be deviations so it doesn't follow it exactly. Thus the added note to the story's summary. Also, originally this was going to be one long chapter but I decided to split it up into two parts. This chapter takes place two weeks after Sage's abduction, thus deciding to skip the episodes with Blackout and Girder because, well, I don't really need them for this story. Thanks for being patient with me as always. I greatly appreciate it.

So there's some friction with Joe regarding the Arrow, on a detective and personal level. I always wish his thoughts on the Arrow being around was expanded a little bit so I brought in what I think could have also caused his disdain. And Barry and Sage have both been whammied! They both said some hurtful things, but truthful nonetheless. Whether they both realize that is the question. And Bette's alive! Or _is_ she? You'll have to stay tuned to figure it out. And what happened to Sage and the effects of it will be revealed within the next few chapters so there's that to look fowrard to.

Also, a big round of applause goes to _Guest_ for guessing Sage's codename right! He codename is officially Shiver! Being the only one who got it right, you get a special prize, _Guest_. Now whoever is behind that particular anon Guest name (be honest here people) you get a one-shot of your choice! Whatever you want, I'll make a one-shot for you. A scene of Barry and Iris as kids? Eddie and Joe on patrol? Sage and Eddie spending time together? A childhood scene of Snart and Lisa? Whatever you'd like!

Thanks all to those who have fav'd and alerted lately and thanks to all who have reviewed! I appreciate your support and enjoy writing this story so much, knowing others are receptive to my work is amazing. Thanks again.

Now **review replies**! (Because I've skimped on 'em for the past few chapters and I feel bad.)

_babyj_ \- I'd go with puppy. In fact, I see Eddie almost as a golden retriever puppy. Eddie, along with some other characters in the show, I felt could have been fleshed out more and felt a bit frustrated when they weren't. In this story I like taking that chance and making them a little more solid, which is also why I brought a scene in from Joe's POV in this chapter. Eddie will have more challenges and scenes thrown his way to help bring him to life a little more in my mind. Which is also why I brought in more with Iris. Iris could be given a _lot_ more to deal with in the show but I feel almost as if she's more of a background character now that Barry's not so into her, having taken a step back to wait for her to come to him. She deserves to have her own story and goals outside of him and, like Eddie, I want to bring that forward in this story as well. As for Snart being chosen as a main character, I really enjoy his character. Over the course of the Flash and Legends we get more background on what makes him tick, what makes him the way he is, and how he approaches life as time goes on and I enjoy that. When it comes to designated "villains" of a show, if they're charismatic enough in one way or another I want to know more about them. And at the time of me coming up with the idea of this story, back around November 2014, we knew next to nothing about him and I wanted to see if I could write to answer those questions I had about him. He's one of the better characters in the show, imo. And while I am using him more than the Reverse Flash at the moment, the reason as to why will start to be revealed soon, in the next chapter even! Thanks for the review!

_Guest_ \- Thanks! Sage being used as a pawn is the least of her worries, at least they will be soon... ;) Congrats! You guessed her codename right! It's Shiver! As I mentioned above, you now get a one-shot from me as a prize!

_Ethan_ \- Yeah, they both have less than ideal men for fathers, something that Snart is not oblivious towards. Hmmmm ;) To be fair, Eddie can come across as bland in the show sometimes but I am trying to add some meat to his bones, so to speak. All I'm saying is that Dr. Wells not being in a rush to help her will come to a head soon. Thanks for the review!

~C.M.


	18. Green Arrows (2)

**_Chapter 17:_**

**_Green Arrows _**

"_Wells?_"

Bette nodded. "He can't be trusted. He needs to be stopped. Before he destroys everything. He—"

Bette's words trailed off and she looked over her shoulder. Her lips formed a thin line and she took off down the hall, rounding the corner in an instant. Sage watched her go only to turn back around and come face to face with Cisco.

"Who were you talking to?" Cisco asked, looking pat her.

Sage twisted, her wide eyes searching every inch of the hallway but there was no sign of Bette. No trail of water left behind. No scent of river water, nothing. It was like she hadn't been there at all. Her chest heaved as she slowly turned back around to look at Cisco, feeling like she was certainly losing her mind. She could have told him about Bette but…would he believe her? It was hard to tell. Their lives were weird but this was a bit too weird. "N-no one," she finally replied, doing her best to ease her breathing. "Just…no one. I was, um, thinking out loud."

"Oh." He took on a defensive stance. "You're not going to go all Hulk on me, are you?"

She shook her head and then kicked at the ground. Any sense of raging anger she felt before had drained out of her, now she was drained. "Listen…I'm sorry. About what I said. I…I couldn't control myself. Not that that's an excuse, it's just…" she blew a breath out of the side of her mouth and used a hand to push her hair out of her face. "I'm…frustrated, if you couldn't tell. That's all. It's like…I take two steps forward only to take a thousand back in the next second. I see Barry being able to do so much good with his abilities. I want to do that too but I feel like I keep getting stop signs in my face. But I don't know who's holding them, you guys or me in some roundabout way."

Cisco shoved his hands into his pockets. "I understand that," he said slowly, "but…if Dr. Wells says you're not ready—"

Sage threw her arms in the air. "I get that, but how can he say that when I haven't _done_ anything to _make_ myself ready? All I've done around here is run on a treadmill and have electrodes rip hair out of my skin and help you deliver food and hobby things to Nimbus and eat my weight in candy. It's like some sort of Catch-22 or double standard or something."

Cisco bit his lip and studied her. He brought his hands together, pressing the tips of a few fingers to his mouth before pulling them away. "May I ask you something?" She shrugged her shoulders in a noncommittal way. "Why do you want to do this?" she gave him a blank look. "Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and me…we feel responsible. For what happened. For what happened to you and to Barry and to the metas. Barry is helping us fix a wrong and trying to find a way to get his dad out of jail. When it comes to you, well…" his words trailed off. "I guess I just can't figure you out."

Sage clicked her tongue, buying herself some time. She rolled the words around in her mind, carefully picking and choosing the right combination she wanted. "You're not the only ones…who feel like you need to do good to make up for something," she finally replied. Her mind flashed back to that man from months ago and then the one from a few weeks ago. Her stomach turned and she clamped her lips together, just in case. When the wave of sickening guilt passed she spoke again. "Figured this was the best start. I have a lot to make up for, in my past and especially...after what I said about you all. To you all. It was wrong. And I thought, with my abilities, I could help somewhere or help someone." She kicked at the ground with the tip of her boot. "So I could make a difference. So I wouldn't be so much of a burden but an asset." _So I could be in control of something in my life._

Cisco smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Hey, you're not a burden."

Sage gave him a look. "Remember our last foray into the field?" Her stomach lurched painfully at the memory but she pushed it aside. Now wasn't the time to worry about that.

"You're just a bit…eager." Lowering his voice he added, "I mean, who could blame you? All this stuff is so _sick._"He cleared his throat and continued. "We said we'd help you and we will." He held up his free hand. "I swear on my last pack of Twizzlers."

Sage gasped. "Your _last pack_? That's some promise."

"Twizzlers are serious business," Cisco stated, his words solemn. "Look, why don't you come back with me? I'm sure if you talk everything out with Dr. Wells we can clear the air and start on a new foot. Hey, if we're allowed to have a second chance, you are too."

Sage tried to smile but it was weak. She had a feeling that Caitlin and Harrison wouldn't be so forthcoming with forgiving her. Maybe she shouldn't return to S.T.A.R. Labs; if Cisco was the only one who wanted her there what was the point? But then she nixed that idea a second later. No, she was going to see this through, one way or another. She was in on the secret, supported their contributions to cleaning up their mess of sorts. Running away wouldn't help matters. Nor would it keep her alive.

"I think I have a better idea, actually," Sage said. "I just need to make a call. I'll be right back." Cisco gave her shoulder another squeeze and started to walk away. "Cisco?" she called after him.

"Yeah?" he turned around.

"…Thanks."

He shrugged. "Anytime."

Sage settled against the wall and took out her phone only to spend more time spinning it in her hands than actually placing the call. It took some time to remove the anxiety that hunched her shoulders due to thinking that Bette would pop up again somewhere, somehow. And besides, she wasn't sure the person on the other end would pick up. She wouldn't blame them. She'd been nothing but evil since she was found two weeks ago but then it made everything easier, keeping them at arm's length. She could process what happened better, readjust. With help her fall would be cushioned, without it the fall would end in a rough jolt that she'd need to dust off her knees from.

But maybe it was time to stop dusting.

With a gulp, she jabbed the call button on the contact she had selected and held her phone up to her ear. It rang three times and just when she was about to lower her arm she heard the line get picked up. A greeting sounded two times before she forced herself to lift her phone to her ear. "Uncle Joe? I need your help."

She hung up right after briefly explaining what she needed. Her words started to thicken and become garbled the longer she spoke, as if her vocal chords didn't want to comply with her request. But she worked though it, she needed to. It was the first step she was taking in the right direction and one that didn't prepare her muscles to help her run away. No, that was over, she vowed. Her legs needed the break.

Joe arrived a short fifteen minutes later, carrying the bags she had asked him to get along the way. The scene of grease and salt wafted past her nose as she checked the orders, barely looking him in the eye as she thanked him. The elevator ride back up to the sixth floor of the laboratory was quiet save for the hum of the working mechanics. And even though they stood a mere few inches apart a cavern had grown between them and both were afraid to take the leap to cross. As they walked into the lab they caught the tail end of Felicity's phone conversation.

"That was the Arrow, he said Barry's been acting strangely," Felicity reported.

"Strangely how?" Harrison asked. Sage's eyebrows crinkled. Surely he would've figured out what was going on by now but she bit her tongue.

"He's been whammied," Joe announced as they walked in. Sage took their surprise as the opportunity to go around doling out the Big Belly Burger orders to each of them, double checking that the right one went to the right person. Not that she needed to, Harrison, Caitlin, and Cisco all ordered the same things each time. She just didn't want to face Joe. "He was acting angry, it was scary. And his eyes, they glowed."

"Yeah, same thing happened to me," Sage informed. She removed a wrapped burger from the bag and held it out to her uncle. His eyebrows furrowed as he took the sandwich. "I'm fine," she added before he could ask and moved away.

"It's possible that his body was fighting off the affects so it's hitting him slower," Caitlin theorized.

"But why wouldn't it move faster?" Sage couldn't help but ask. She mentally slapped herself when she grabbed everyone's attention. "I-I mean…his metabolism moves faster, right? Why didn't this just…flicker out in a second?" she muttered.

"The longer you suppress your emotions—" Harrison started.

"—The bigger the explosion," Felicity finished for him, her words wrapped in a foreboding tone. It was enough to make them all squirm beneath the weight of it.

"Considering what he can do, how do we even stop him?" Joe asked.

"A cold gun would come in real handy right about now," Cisco mused aloud, twisting and turning in his chair. He had begun to lean back in it when he gasped and sat up straight, his eyes wide. A smile slowly started to form on his face and he stood with one finger extended towards the ceiling. "But since we don't _have _one…we can use the next best thing!"

Harrison regarded Cisco and then, a second later, nodded his head. "If there is one of us that can stop Barry…." He turned in his chair and looked across the room. Joe, Caitlin, and Felicity followed his gaze over to Sage who was curled up in one chair; a box of French fries perched on her legs. Noticing the quiet room, she froze with a fry halfway to her mouth and looked at them all in turn.

"….What?" she asked.

"You wanted training, now you got it," Harrison replied as if he were speaking about the temperature. "We need you to go out there and stop Barry."

"Wait, me!?" she pointed towards herself. "Bu-but, I can't even control…I mean, not that well. I don't—is this a good idea?" A shiver rolled down her spine, almost as if someone had blown on her neck. It was a cool breeze, enough to lift the little hairs on her skin. She couldn't help but wonder, could she trust him?

"Yeah, is this a good idea?" Joe echoed.

"Cisco created the cold gun specifically to stop Barry in the event something like this came along," Harrison stated. "He used good judgment and foresight for such a predicament"—Cisco beamed with pride in his seat—"though we certainly never anticipated a theft as the means of which to keep us from using the specific tool. Truth of the matter is, we don't need it now. All we need is for someone to slow Barry down enough for us to work out a way to reverse Bivolo's affects. Ms. Moreaux is the only one with the abilities to do it." He swung his blue eyes over to her. "But you won't be going in alone." He turned to address Felicity. "You may want to call back Oliver Queen. We're going to need the Arrow's help."

_Wait, what?_ They all whipped their heads around to stare at a shocked Felicity. Her fingers hovered over her cell phone and, behind her glasses, her eyes widened. Her lips parted but no sound came out and the longer the silence stretched in the room the higher Joe's eyebrows seemed to climb.

"I-I…" Felicity tried a few times to speak, succeeding on her last one. "I'll just…give him a heads up on what's going on." The sound of her heels hitting the floor faded as she rushed out of the room for quiet.

"Do that. In the mean time, you need to suit up," Harrison told Sage who scrambled to her feet. All traces of surprise form the Arrow reveal left her face and was replaced with one of hard focus.

"Hold on, I have just the thing!" Cisco said, rushing out of the room. Sage moved in the opposite direction, walking into the separate room that held her suit. It stood tall and proud on the mannequin, waiting for her.

She brushed her fingers over the surface as she looked up at it. Her heart pounded against her chest as her mind flashed back to its first use. Her first encounter with Leonard Snart. She thought she had been ready for this, ready to be masked and run out into the night to protect people but she was wrong. So wrong. But it wasn't just a citizen that needed help. It was _Barry Allen_. She squeezed her eyes shut. She'd do anything for him. She _needed_ to do this. She _needed _to help him. Because what sort of life was there to live if Barry wasn't in it?

She changed into her suit and tied her hair back, nerves tumbling around in her stomach all the while. They didn't have much time to get to him. Who knows what he could do with that much rage pumping through his body. She could still hear him yelling at her; still feel his fingers curling around the collar of her jacket as he slammed her against the wall. It was those reasons that she wanted to snap him out of it. That was Barry. That wasn't _her_ Barry. "Okay, anything I need to know?" she asked as she walked back into the room.

"The less damage you can cause the better," Harrison said. "If you can get his legs to stop moving, that'd be the best course of action to take."

"Got it." A second later Sage faltered. "How am I going to catch him if he's faster than me?"

"That's where these babies come in!" Cisco announced. He came back into the room carrying a pair of shoes in his hands. "I've been tinkering with this for a while. They're jet propulsion shoes. Ever place Sonic Adventure?" Everyone in the room shook their heads. "No? Aw, c'mon guys you're missing out on a good game."

"_Cisco_," Harrison grunted.

"Right. " He handed the boots over and Sage plopped down on the ground to swap them out. "Anyway, these shoes are made with a pattern of small jets in the bottom releasing air, causing less friction on the ground. Like an air hockey table. They will help propel you forward and, with less friction, the more you'll glide on the surface. So, essentially, it'll be like you're—"

"Ice skating," Joe filled in.

Cisco snapped his fingers. "Exactly. The fastest an Olympic speed skater has traveled is over 30 miles per hour. With these babies, they could go _much_ faster. They'll make _you_ faster. Not to Barry's levels but enough to get you wherever he is in time without anyone on the streets seeing anything other than, well, a blur."

"How do they work?"

"Press the buttons on the side."

Sage did as she was instructed and waited. For a moment it seemed as if nothing happened but soon she shot her arms out to keep her balance as her legs flailed beneath her. In her attempts, she somehow flew across the room and crashed into a wall, falling to the ground in a heap.

"Are those things safe?" Joe asked as Caitlin rushed over to help her up.

"Yeah, she'll get the hang of it," Cisco said with a flippant wave of his hand as he moved over to the computers. A series of keyboard taps and clicking filled the room until Cisco leaned back. "Okay, we got him. Heading towards…5th street and Main." Standing straight, Cisco clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Alright Shiver; it's time to see you in action!"

It took Sage a moment to register what he said but once it did she perked up and one could almost see a light bulb popping up above he head. "….Oh! You're talking to me?" She pointed to herself. "_I'm_ 'Shiver'?"

"Yeah, you're going with that rather than, say, Icecube?" Caitlin suggested.

"It's not as menacing and besides the name's already taken," Cisco said. Adding beneath his breath, "This is why _I_ come up with the names."

"Better get going," Harrison spoke.

"Yeah." Sage nodded and made a beeline for the door, stopping only when Joe cleared his throat. She regarded her uncle, studying his face for a moment. "Don't worry, Uncle Joe, I'll be fine," she said firmly. "It's just Barry. How hard can this be?"

**_# # #_**

Night had fallen and Oliver was ready to pack up and head back to Starling City. He knew coming to Central City was a risk, hell his entire life revolved around them nowadays, but now he was getting antsy. The longer they were in Central City the longer they were _away_ from Starling and he wasn't sure that Roy could handle everything by himself.

He was going to have a firm talk with Felicity later. He still wasn't sure how she was able to talk him into these things. Going to Central City was one thing but putting aside their mission to take on one that wasn't their own? As he suspected, it was proving to be a waste of his time. Barry didn't want his help and yet here he was dealing with…metahumans were they called? Such a stupid name. A dehumanizing name.

Did they think this was a game? Something they could just hit the restart button on when something went wrong? No, this was life and the sooner they realized that the better. After five years on Lian Yu and two more as a vigilante, it was a lesson that echoed in the back of his mind. Especially now as he was faced with the task of trying to stop Barry's rampage around the city. Being as fast as he is who knew what he was capable of? The outcome was the only reason he was coming back to help. That and Felicity nearly bit his ear off when he tied to object. "He would do the same thing for you," she reasoned, "and you know it." He did know it. And, deep down, he appreciated that Barry stood up for him against Detective West and Dr. Wells. It felt nice to have someone on his side.

"Hey!" The single word had barely been uttered when Oliver reached for a bow, drew it back, and pointed it at the new arrival. "Whoa! Watch where you're pointing that thing!" they cried out while holding up their hands. "I admire your reflexes but I'm here to help."

"How can _you_ help?" Oliver asked, his voice taking on deeper tones due to activating his voice modulator.

"Like this." They wiggled off a glove, turned and lifted their hand, holding it in the direction of a nearby trashcan. Oliver watched, arrow still drawn, as a snowflake shape appeared on the palm. A second later a beam shot out from the snowflake and struck the garbage can, coating it in a thick layer of ice. As Oliver blinked rapidly the other person muttered, "Huh, that's new," while looking at their hand. "Anyway, I can slow him down."

His heart had pumped so hard he almost didn't recognize their voice over the blood rushing in his ears but even when he placed it he didn't lower his bow. "You're from the coffee shop. That Sage girl."

"Well, I go by Shiver out here now," she said. "But that's not important. We have to stop Barry before he does something stupid."

Silently agreeing, Olive began walking down the street. He could hear her having to increase her speed to keep up with him. He finally lowered his bow, retuning an arrow to his quiver as he kept his eyes on a constant swivel, looking out for Barry and for any obstacles that could get in his way.

"So what's the plan?" she spoke up after some moments of quiet.

"Stop Barry," Oliver replied shortly.

"Seriously? That's the sort of plan _I _would come up with," she muttered.

Oliver's mouth opened to retort but stopped when he heard shouting. He flung out his arm, stopping her in her tracks. He stood still, squinting in the distance. He thought he heard…yes! He blinked and saw a streak of yellow light followed by more shouting.

"That's Barry," Sage informed.

He'd figured that out but kept his comment to himself. He motioned for her to stay where she was as he approached. Barry was standing over someone, yelling at them. Oliver recognized Iris. Her words towards Barry held him where he was, hitting him in a nerve he thought he had covered. Here Barry was, running on some sort of rampage but she still believed in him, believed in the Flash. Just like Barry still believed in _him_ after all that was said against him. He briefly closed his eyes and felt his muscles tense up as they always did whenever he was about to get into a fight. He grabbed one of his trick arrows, a bola arrow, and shot it before Barry could hurt the guy on the ground.

"Iris, run," Sage ordered, doing her best to alter her voice Olive noted. She ended up sounding like a woman deepening her voice to try and emulate a man. He made a mental note to speak to Barry and his team about how a secret identity works.

Iris hesitated. "How…how do you know my name?"

"…I read your blog, just go. We'll handle this."

Iris didn't move, surveying the scene. Only when Olive grunted a deep "_Run_" command did she take off. The other guy wasn't far behind, moving at a slower pace due to a limp. "You need to calm down," Oliver told him. There were a few things he expected as a response but being taken for a ride wasn't one of them. Before he could blink his feet were yanked off the ground and he traveled through the city on his stomach. Rocks and other debris snagged against his Kevlar as he was dragged behind Barry, only stopping when Barry gave his cable a hard yank.

Barry began to advance, taking long confident strides. His gait was stopped short when Sage, skidded around the corner, surged forward, and slammed into Barry's back, knocking him over. "Woops. Didn't mean to do that," she mumbled, scrambling to keep her balance. "Oh well. Now, Barry, hold still. This may get a little cold." She extended her hands, snowflakes appearing near the palms once more as she advanced.

"Stay out of my way!" Barry shouted. He used his speed to pop up from the ground. Sage flinched, giving him enough time to send a hard kick to her stomach. Her grunt from hitting a nearby wall soon followed and Oliver grabbed two more trick arrows.

Barry turned around, continuing his beeline for Oliver. He shot the two arrows and they struck a dumpster behind him. He could see the condescension in Barry's eyes as he mocked Oliver's aim, right before the trick arrows detonated. With Barry stunned and on the ground, Oliver took the opportunity to circle around him and shoot him with a tranquilizer arrow. Sage, having gotten back to her feet, followed up Oliver's attack with ice beams pointed at his knee and feet, binding him down to the cement.

"Barry, cool it!" Sage ordered.

"Please tell me you don't always speak in puns," Oliver muttered.

"That one was unfortunate. What was that stuff?"

"2000mg of horse tranquilizer."

"Damn."

Damn indeed, though her utter was premature as Barry's body began to vibrate. Before their eyes he cracked the ice around his legs, the shattered pieces falling to the ground and scattering in different directions. He got to his feet, yanking the arrow from his shoulder and vibrated again. Green wisps floated from his body and rose into the cool night air. Barry turned to face them, smirking at their identical looks of pure 'oh shit' dread.

He took care of Sage first, throwing rapid punches her way. She did her best to keep up, firing ice blasts whenever she could. She was fast but he was faster. He landed a punch across her face, making her stagger before he grabbed her, ran, and slammed her into a wall, making her crumple to a heap. With her out of the way he turned his attention back to Oliver, circling him until Oliver tried to escape with a grappling bow but Barry stopped that idea in his tracks. Once back on the ground the two stared at one another.

"Is that all you got?" Barry taunted.

Oliver gave a little shake of his head. He'd been holding back, not wanting to hurt Barry but now he saw that he'd have to be a little bit tougher on him. Barry rushed at him and, despite him having speed on his side, Oliver could still hold his own; predicting the strikes that Barry would send his way. Oliver began to have the upperhand, that is until a punch straight to Barry's face pushed him over the edge. He rained punches and kicks down on Oliver, coming in such rapid succession that he couldn't get his arms up high enough to fight back. He was a sitting duck.

A hard punch to Oliver's face sent him straight to the ground. He landed with a hard thud, rolling over until he came to a complete stop. "Man, this is just too easy," Barry sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "Big bad Oliver Queen; saves Starling City on a daily basis but can't even stop a metahuman. How pathetic. If only you were as fast as me, you might even stand a chance. You know, I don't get why so many people find you so interesting. Why does everyone like you, huh? Why does everyone chase after you like you're some saint? Felicity, Sage, Iris…you're not worth the admiration. You're not worth the praise. You're not worth—"

_Thunk!_ Barry's words cut off as something smashed against the back of his head. He whirled around to see Sage tossing and catching a snowball in her hand. A dried smear of blood sat below her nose and a cut split her lower lip. A fire burned in her eyes as she gritted her teeth. "You're not exactly one to make comments right now," she pointed out.

"You just don't know when to quit don't you?"

She shrugged. "I'll quit once I've _destroyed_ you." She lobbed another snowball at him. He dodged it but it was enough time for he to skate forward and send a kick to his chest. "Bette was right, you need to be removed. You're in the way. In _my_ way. And I can't _take it anymore._" She lifted her hands to fire off another ice blast only to falter when nothing happened. "Fuck! Why do you have to stop working now?" she growled, curling her fingers inwards. She didn't let the temporary setback stop her; instead she swung at him. He easily blocked it and soon they were locked in a fist-to-fist fight. Her movements were graceful with dance elements thrown in—high kicks, splits, and kip-ups—but she left herself wide open allowing Barry to land plenty of hits.

"Can't stand it when the attention isn't on you, huh?" Barry grunted, grabbing her ankle. He gave it a sharp twist, sending her to the ground with a thud.

"How would you know?" Sage strained, using her legs to knock him off balance. She jumped back to her feet and gave him a good kick to the side. "You have everyone wrapped around your finger. Especially Iris and Joe. They're _my_ family, not yours! You'll _never_ belong!"

Barry zoomed away from her other kick only to grab her and throw her down to the ground. She steadily got to her feet but he noted the slight sway to her body on her way up. "And yet you take them for granted. I'd never do that. You see, I don't go around playing the victim. I'm not self-centered and act like the world owes me some favor. _I'm not the one who stomps their feet like a child when things don't go their way._"

The two raced for one another only to stop inches away when the sound of clapping echoed in the alleyway. They turned their blazing eyes over to Bivolo who took slow steps until he was standing only a few feet away. "Wow. Didn't see how well this was going to go but even I have to say I'm impressed with myself," he mused aloud. "I'm loving this outcome. I wish I had the foresight to get popcorn. Foresight. Get it?" He laughed at his own joke.

"Can't you see we're in the middle of something there?" Sage growled, turning away from Barry. This guy was going to _pay_ for getting in her way. Barry could wait for now. Utilizing her new boots, she skated over to Bivolo, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and slammed him into the ground. She repeatedly shook him by the collar, making his head lift and slam against the hard ground beneath him. But through it all he kept a smile on his face which resorted in her punching him across the face over and over again, until blood filled the cracks between his teeth and made her glove slippery. And yet, though it all, he kept laughing.

"Are you angry enough?" Bivolo taunted, looking her in the eye. "How about some more?"

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Sage demanded.

As Bivolo's eyes began to light up Sage felt a peculiar prickling sensation behind hers. Though it wasn't the same as the crying sort, that prickling burned. This one felt more like the icy winds on a snowy day brushing past her face. She closed her eyes, feeling the pressure build. Only when it felt as if flames burst inside her skull, she opened them and beams shot out, hitting Bivolo straight in his own eyes. His screams were drowned out by the blood rushing in her ears. The ice beams stopped when she shut her eyes and blinked rapidly, letting go of him. She briefly saw a layer of ice stretched across the eye region of his face, sloping over the arch of his nose as she got to her feet. "Now, _Flash_, where were we?"

But her question went unanswered for, at that moment, an arrow shot into her shoulder causing her to stagger forward. She reached back and grasped the arrow, bringing it over her shoulder as she felt all of her energy drain from her body. Her arms fell limp, the arrow clacked against the ground, and she crumpled in a heap.

"Ha, too slow to see that coming?" Barry taunted, standing over her. A second later he stood, turned, and grabbed two arrows that were shot at him. "Fool me once!"

His boasting was short lived as Oliver threw a knife at him and it sunk into his calf. It harmed Barry enough for him to fall to his knee but he got right back up to face Oliver. He threw a punch, of which Oliver caught, and turned him around, disarming him to allow Joe and Harrison to slip in with their van and flash colors in his face to reverse Bivolo's effect.

Barry swayed, nearly falling to his knees but Oliver grabbed him and kept him on his feet. "You okay?" he asked, his voice losing its gruffness.

"Yeah," Barry wheezed, "yeah. Just…feel like I've been run over by a truck." He laughed a little bit but his smile disappeared a second later. "Oliver…I'm _so_ sorry."

"It's okay, Barry," Oliver sighed, "you're not the first to crack under this…vigilante pressure." His attention shifted from his injured friend and over to Joe who was kneeling by Sage's still body. He could almost feel the waves of anger and concern radiating off of his body.

"What did you do to her?" Joe demanded.

"Knocked her out," Oliver replied, straight to the point. There was no sense in making Joe anymore angry with him by beating around the bush. "With a tranquilizer. She's fine; she'll come around in about a half hour."

"Don't be mad with him, Joe, she was…unstable," Barry told him, limping over.

"So were you," Joe pointed out. "You both were whammied."

"Yeah, but hers wore off faster than mine and she wasn't hit by red but green."

"Green? What's green?"

"Envy," Harrison supplied. He eased himself out of the passenger seat of the van and into his wheelchair. Once situated, he propelled himself forward, coming to a rest a few feet away with his palms folded on his stomach. "Envy is a…powerful emotion. It can turn even the meekest sort into a monster, something so despicable that it fills the resulting empty spaces with shame. Y'see, with envy, it's not just the one emotion. Envy is influenced by…resentment, betrayal, anger, sadness, a plethora of things that twists and contorts until 'the green-eyed monster' lets loose."

"Dr. Wells, did you see what she did to Bivolo?" Barry asked, motioning to the metahuman that lay still on the ground nearby. "If Oliver hadn't stopped her who knows what she would've done to me. And I don't think Bivolo has anything to do with it. She's been…weird."

"Weird how?" Oliver spoke up, his words sharp.

"Let's get back to S.T.A.R. Labs and discuss it there, huh?" Joe asked while lifting Sage into his arms. "Don't want this one to get away." He used his head to motion towards Bivolo. "Who knows what else he can do?"

**_# # #_**

Harrison reclined in his chair, his fingers laced behind his head and one leg crossed over the other. A twinkle lay in his eye and a smile so wide sat upon his face he could have caught flies. It was a fate he would have welcomed, along with a tall glass of champagne to celebrate with but that would be going overboard a tad. No, that could wait until everything came to fruition and he had Barry Allen on his knees. Instead, this would do. The sight of his little friend banging against the glass of the pipeline, screaming like a caged animal to be let out filled him with unbridled glee.

He couldn't have dreamed this up; everything was coming together so swimmingly! A little on the slow side for his taste but he's waited nearly fifteen years to get this far, he could wait a little longer. And things were finally starting to get interesting! The Arrow showing up threw a little wrench in his plans but then everything got right back on course.

And he hardly had to lift a finger. Sure, it took him some time to track down the Mirakuru and the Vitura but that was the beauty of having time travel on his side, he just had to think back about past events and obtain them in different ways. He made a mental note to thank Malcolm Merlyn sometime.

Harrison leaned forward, reaching out to his keyboard to hit a button to turn the sound on one of the video projections on his computer. A second later the loud, screams of Sage's rage reached his ears accompanied with her pounding her hands on the glass of her Pipeline cell, "Barry Allen, I swear to God if you don't get me out of here! Let. Me. _Out!_ Barry! _Barry!_ Where do you get off putting me in here? You'll pay for this! You hear me? Barry! You'll regret putting—" Harrison pressed the button again, cutting off her rant. They all had assumed after Oliver's tranquilizer wore off she'd be groggy and placid but, much to Harrison's joy, her rage picked up right where it left off. That was perfectly fine with him, the more strained their ties became the better.

He sat up straighter in his chair as his attention shifted over to another video projection, this one of Oliver and Barry speaking to one another in a random room. A brief frown pulled the joy off of Harrison's face as his eyes narrowed. He all but jabbed at a button to turn on the sound in their conversation.

"Sorry you came all the way out here for nothing," Barry said.

"It wasn't entirely for nothing," Oliver replied. "As I've said to you before, it pays to case every location and gather intel on our enemies. Now, in the case that something should happen to repeat this…_interesting_ night, I'll know how to take you down."

Barry rolled his eyes. "You got lucky. I was just going easy on you."

Oliver lifted an eyebrow. "_I_ was going easy on _you_. You may have the speed on your side but your moves are predictable."

"Oh yeah? Is that why I kicked your ass?" Barry asked, cracking a smile.

"Barry, I _stopped_ you if you've forgotten."

"You caught me by surprise. You got lucky." Oliver slowly shook his head as Barry laughed. His smile slowly slid from his face as his body seemed to wilt along with his sigh. "I know you came to get some information on Digger Harkness. I only wish we could have been more help."

"It was a long shot; we knew that going into this. Better to take the risks than not try," Oliver stated. "Besides, should any of your"—Oliver pulled a face as if he were having difficulty uttering his words—"_metahumans_ arrive in Starling City, I believe we can handle any situation that arises."

Barry studied him. "Why do I get the feeling that you're about to drop some bad news?"

Oliver grunted and took some time before he responded. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and sighed. "Barry, you have to keep your friends close. What we do…it doesn't get easier. It gets harder, tougher. The stakes will only rise from here and if you're not careful, if you let too much darkness in…all of this will be for nothing. What you do will be for nothing." He paused; his eyes turning to the ceiling as if what he was going to say next was written there and then locked eyes with Barry again. "I know you're trying to find the man that killed your mother. But don't let this mission blind you, don't forget that you have others to fall back on. Don't take them for granted. …And don't make the same mistakes I did. You can do better than me, Barry. _Be_ better in a way that I can never achieve."

"Ugh," Harrison grunted, turning off the sound. He almost puked all over his keyboard. Since when was _Oliver Queen_ so uplifting? What made him so fun to watch was how dark he was, how…how _lost_ he was. What was the point if Barry _fucking_ Allen was going to turn him around? Someone had to take care of the Man in Green. He heaved a sigh, it seemed as if it was going to have to take care of _everything_ around here.

But Barry Allen came first. He had already cut one string; killing his mother was an accident, it was the little Barry he was going _really_ going for but that ended up being a blessing in disguise. Now, thanks to Bivolo, another chord was steadily being severed: that of Barry's personal life. Iris was beginning to be disillusioned; the police force not only saw him as a competitor but a threat, and Sage…. Well, she was already frustrated with him, of which Harrison took full responsibility for, buffing his fingers on his shirt. Just one little shove over the edge by her and that thread would be cut completely and Barry's little island of support would get weaker.

His yellow inclined self would be greatly satisfied in the meantime; Barry wasn't crushed beneath his boot but that would be enough for now.

Harrison's eyes jumped up from the screen in front of him to the doorway where Oliver had appeared. He eased away from the computer; the last thing he wanted was for a reflection to appear on his glasses. Harrison's eyebrow quirked. "Yes, Mr. Queen?"

"I'm looking for Caitlin," Oliver replied.

"Four doors on your right," Harrison replied, tilting his head in the direction for Oliver to take. "This isn't anything like your lair, I presume. Find anything interesting?"

Oliver briefly squinted at Harrison before adopting a stoic expression. "The entire place is…interesting," he said evenly before walking off.

In the hall Oliver looked back over his shoulder at the office Harrison was holed up in and shook his head. The hair on his arms had stood up beneath his suit all because of the way Dr. Wells was looking at him. Something was off about the man, he could feel it in the air but he couldn't pinpoint what it was.

His silent inquiries fell to the wayside once he finally found Caitlin. She, too, was sitting behind a computer screen but she didn't look as tense as Dr. Wells did. She was more relaxed, in a world weary sort of way. He knocked on the doorframe and she looked up at the sound, straightening up as he stepped into the room.

"I'm not interrupting you, am I?" he asked.

"Oh, no, I was just going over the, uh, hospital data that Joe secured for me. We used it to see what effect Bivolo's abilities had on his victims," Caitlin explained, turning the screen for him to see. Oliver barely glanced at it. Caitlin turned the computer back around and then looked past him. "Where's Barry?"

"He, Cisco, and Detective West are checking on Sage."

"Felicity and Diggle?"

"Getting some food." Oliver cleared his throat. "Listen, I need you to do me…a favor."

Caitlin's eyebrows rose. "Oh? What can I do for you?"

"I need you to take a blood sample," Oliver replied, getting straight to the point, "from Sage. I have…let's call it a hunch. Something is off. I just want to be sure. Before someone gets hurt."

"Barry?" Caitlin asked.

"All of you," Oliver replied.

* * *

_**A/N**_ \- And here's the second part! What did you think of the Flash vs Arrow vs Shiver fight? Her abilities are escalating faster than anyone can anticipate. Locking Sage in the Pipeline afterwards to quell her rage, let's see how good of an idea that is at the end of the line :). Okay, I won't let this author's note get as long as the last one so please, tell me what you thought! I can't wait for you all to see what I have in store for the next few chapters! Let's just say the holiday season will be one the gang won't ever forget; relatives tend to leave a lasting impression don't they? :P

Review replies:

_**Ethan**_ \- I agree what Joe and Oliver do what it takes to protect th city but where I disagree is the lengths they go to fit that mantra. Joe tends to rely on the law to help with that whereas Oliver doesn't have a problem with killing those without a second thought to stop them. As a police officer I do understand that there are times where they have to make the decision to stop any danger by using force if necessary but he would try to diffuse a situation before it gets to that point. That was Sage and Oliver's first meeting, I had mentioned that Sage told Oliver her name when Barry was dragging her away but with you pointing out your confusion I could have made it clearer. At the end of the day, she just needs someone to _really_ believe in her and while Barry does he's still hesitant of her being in his world since he doesn't want his family hurt, as for S.T.A.R. Labs, well, they're following Wells's chain of command and he has his own reasons for doing what he's doing. Thanks for the review!

_**Crimson Comet**_ \- You were so close! Green meant envy. Jealousy and envy are similar emotions though jealousy is more fear of someone taking what you already have and envy is wanting what someone else has. In this case, Sage wants Barry's support system and sense of purpose. Now, how she goes about getting them is the question. Thanks for your review!


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